^ 


A  STORY  OF    QNE  OF 

ETHAN  ALLEN'S 
GREEN  MOUN- 
a  TAIN  SOYS 


ROWLAND 
E.ROBINSON 


Cia,  r 


bp  fHr.  Kobineon. 


VERMONT:  A  Study  of  Independence.  In 
American  Commonwealths  Series.  With  Map. 
i6mo,  gilt  top,  51-25. 

IN  NEW  ENGLAND  FIELDS  AND  WOODS. 
i6mo,  51-25. 

DANVIS  FOLKS      A  Novel.     i6mo,  51.25. 

UNCLE  LISHA'S  OUTING.     i6mo,  $1.25. 

A  DANVIS  PIONEER.     16010,51.25. 

HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  &  COMPANY, 

BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK. 


A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

A  STORY  OF  ONE  OF  ETHAN  ALLEN'S 
GREEN  MOUNTAIN  BOYS 


BY 


EOWLAND  E.   KOBINSON 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 
$re&,  Cambri&0e 
1901 


COPYRIGHT,    1900,   BY   ROWLAND   E.   ROBINSON 
ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED. 


p 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  AT  THE  DEER'S  HEAD       ....  1 

II.  THE  WILDERNESS 16 

III.  HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS    ...  37 

IV.  VISITORS 55 

V.  TlCONDEROGA 65 

VI.  LA  CANADIENNE 78 

VII.  DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT     ....  92 

VIII.  SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN        .        .        .  104 

IX.  HUBBARDTON 122 

X.  RUBY 134 

XI.  A  CURIOUS  BIT  OF  HISTORY      .        .        .150 

XII.  THE  SMOOTH  BORE          ....  157 

XIII.  THE  PATRIARCH  OF  DANVIS       .        .        .166 

XIV.  THE  APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL  174 


M'105442 


A  DANVIS  PIONEER 


CHAPTER  I         ,     ,  ,,,,,, 

'      '       ,   >       >          •     •          i       j 

AT   THE   DEERV  HEAD  "" 

ONE  evening,  more  than  a  century  and  a 
quarter  ago,  there  was  a  motley  company 
gathered  in  the  bar-room  of  the  Deer's 
Head  Tavern,  the  house  of  entertainment 
for  man  and  beast  in  one  of  the  border 
towns  of  Connecticut.  There  were  farmers 
of  the  neighborhood,  the  blacksmith,  the 
shoemaker,  and  the  hatter,  already  prover 
bially*  drunk  ;  and  there  were  young  men, 
who  dropped  in  to  gather  news  of  the  wild, 
new  lands  to  the  northward  from  returning 
explorers  and  speculators. 

Among  these  was  an  old  hunter,  a  ranger 
of  the  old  war,  on  his  way  to  the  rich  trap 
ping  grounds  that  he  had  discovered  and 
made  note  of  during  his  military  service. 


A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

He  was  a  wiry  little  man,  past  middle  age, 
baked  in  the  sun,  smoked  by  a  thousand 
camp-fires,  salted  by  the  snows  of  many 
winters,  until  his  hair  and  stubbly  beard 
were  as  grizzled  as  a  frosted  hemlock,  and 
frs  .skin.  ;the  color  and  toughness  of  jerked 
venison.  His  well  ripened  nose  went  fre 
quently  into  a  mug  of  flip,  which  he  was 
Jrinking  a,t  the  expense  of  his  most  inter 
ested  listener,  a  tall,  muscular  young  man, 
with  keen  gray  eyes,  a  prominent,  pointed 
nose,  and  a  firm  set  mouth,  all  constantly 
turned  upon  the  hunter  to  catch  every  word 
that  dropped  from  his  lips. 

There  was  another  listener,  who  was  giv 
ing  very  close,  though  not  so  noticeable  at 
tention,  while  as  yet  taking  no  part  in  the 
conversation,  but  who  silently  sipped  his 
nun  and  water  as  he  cast  furtive  sidelong 
glances  of  his  sharp,  black  eyes  upon  the 
old  ranger  and  his  young  friend.  He  was 
clad  from  head  to  foot  in  a  worn  suit  of 
rusty  black  which,  with  a  sanctimonious 
cast  of  countenance,  gave  him  the  appear 
ance  of  a  clergyman. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  the  hunter  said,  withdrawing 


AT  THE  DEER'S  HEAD  3 

his  nose  from  the  mug  after  an  exhaustive 
draught,  and  looking  suggestively  into  the 
empty  vessel,  "  if  I  was  a  young  man,  which 
I  hain't,  an'  wanted  tu  farm  it  for  a  livin', 
which  I  don't,  bein'  tew  old  a  dog  tu  1'arn 
new  tricks,  I  'd  jest  go  up  there  int'  the 
wilderness,  —  'way  up,  ye  understan',  where 
there  hain't  nob'dy,  —  an'  I  'd  make  me  a 
pitch  nigh  tu  good  trappin',  an'  I  'd  resk 
but  what  I  'd  git  enough  fur,  in  tew  year, 
fall  an'  winter,  tu  pay  for  my  land." 

"  Du  you  know  any  sech  a  place?"  the 
young  man  asked. 

"  Lord  bless  ye,  dozens  on  'em,  on  the 
Great  Otter,  an'  the  Little  Otter,  an'  on 
the  Lewis  Creek,  acres  an'  acres,  flat  as 
this  'ere  floor,  an'  where  you  hafter  hunt 
half  a  day  tu  find  tew  stuns  tu  crack  a 
but'nut." 

"It's  a  turrible  ways  off,  hain't  it?" 
the  young  man  asked,  his  eyes  wistfully  fol 
lowing  the  trim  figure  of  the  landlord's 
daughter,  who  now  entered  the  room  and  trav 
ersed  the  length  of  it  in  quest  of  her  father, 
who  was  busy  at  the  fireplace,  heating  the 
loggerhead  for  the  concoction  of  two  fresh 


4  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

mugs  of  flip.  Her  hair  was  red  gold,  her 
cheeks  red  roses,  and  her  eyes  of  violet  blue, 
wherewith  she  cast  a  bewitching  glance  on 
the  young  man,  as  she  passed,  and  bestowed 
a  nod  of  her  pretty  head. 

"  Lord,  she  's  a  pooty  one !  "  the  hunter 
remarked  in  unfeigned  admiration.  "  Naow, 
if  you  could  get  her  tu  jine  ye,  boy,  in  mak- 
in'  a  pitch  up  there,  you  'd  be  fixed,  com 
plete." 

He  drained  the  stale,  remaining  drops 
from  his  mug,  and  his  companion,  noting 
his  unslaked  thirst,  ordered  a  replenishing 
of  the  mugs  with  a  further  purpose  of  cov 
ering  his  blushing  confusion. 

"  Why,  yes,"  the  ranger  resumed,  wait 
ing  thirstily  with  watery  mouth,  "  the 
maouths  of  them  streams  is  a  good  ways  off, 
but  the  Great  Otter  head  's  nigher,  not  fur 
from  the  West  River,  which,  an'  it,  was  a 
main  part  o'  the  ol'  Injun  Road.  Look  a' 
here,"  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  flat  pow- 
derhorn  engraved  in  black  outlines  with  a 
rude  map  of  Champlain  and  its  tributaries, 
"  it  is  daown  in  the  flat  country  nigli  the 
lake,  but  where  you  want  to  go  is  near  the 


AT  THE  DEER'S  HEAD  5 

maouth  of  the  Little  Otter,  or  the  Lewis, 
where  the'  's  better  farm  land  and  trappin' 
ground." 

The  clerical  looking  stranger  pricked  his 
ears  at  these  names,  and  clearing  his  throat 
to  call  attention,  said  blandly,  addressing 
the  younger  man :  "  My  young  friend,  if 
you  have  an  idea  of  going  into  the  new 
country,  as  your  friend  so  wisely  advises,  I 
think  I  can  help  you  to  the  very  place  you 
want."  Thereupon  he  drew  a  map  from 
his  pocket  and  spread  it  upon  the  table.  It 
was  a  plotted  map  of  a  township  in  the  New 
Hampshire  Grants,  showing  every  numbered 
lot  and  the  course  of  the  streams. 

"There,"  said  the  stranger,  laying  his 
finger  on  a  lot  between  the  mouths  of  two 
small  rivers  where  they  entered  the  lake, 
"  there 's  a  lot  'at  I  've  took  on  a  debt  an' 
can  sell  dog  cheap  for  cash,  an'  it 's  exactly 
what  you  want  for  the  purpose  your  friend 
here  is  a-speakin'  of.  Just  look  at  it,  a-lay- 
in'  on  two  rivers,  with  a  mill  seat  on'  both 
of  'em  in  it,  an'  trappin'  an'  fishin'  right  tu 
your  door." 

"  It   does  look   temptin',"    said   the  old 


6  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

ranger,  studying  it  attentively,  —  "but  I 
can't  seem  tu  remember  no  falls  so  low 
down  on  the  Little  Otter  or  the  Lewis,  ary 
one.  Was  you  ever  there,  stranger  ?  " 

The  landlord  now  came  with  the  foaming 
mugs  diffusing  a  pungent  fragrance  of  beer 
and  spirit  as  he  set  them  before  his  guests, 
and  gave  them  a  finishing  touch  of  creami- 
ness  with  a  sizzling  plunge  of  the  jointed 
loggerhead. 

"  Buyin'  of  ye  a  right  o'  land  up  in  the 
Hampshire  Grants,  Josier  ? "  he  asked, 
glancing  down  at  the  map. 

u  Wai,  a-thinkin'  on  't  some,"  the  young 
man  replied. 

"  A  good  idee,  for  a  young  feller,"  said 
the  landlord  encouragingly.  "Jest  what 
I  'd  du  if  I  was  your  age,  bein'  the'  's  no 
gre't  chance  here  in  the  old  settlements. 
Mr.  Capron,  here,  's  jest  come  from  up  that 
way  —  he  can  tell  ye  all  abaout  it.  Mr. 
Capron,  this  'ere  's  my  young  neighbor, 
Josier  Hill,  an'  this  is  Kenhelm  Dalrymple, 
one  o'  Major  Rogers'  Rangers  in  the  oF 
war." 

"  Hope  I  see  you,  gentlemen,  an'  here  's 


AT  THE  DEER'S  HEAD  7 

to  our  better  acquaintance."  He  touched 
the  glass  to  his  lips  and  the  others  responded 
in  the  same  manner. 

"  I  've  scaouted  the  country  all  over  by 
land  an'  water  an'  I  disremember  falls  on 
any  stream  wi'in  three  mild  o'  the  lake. 
Hev  you  been  there,  Mr.  Capron  ?  " 

"  Candidly,  I  hain't,  but  a  friend  o'  mine 
has,  and  I  depend  as  much  on  his  account 
as  if  I  'd  seen  it." 

"  Wai,  it  don't  make  no  diif'rence  abaout 
the  mill  seats.  Josier  don't  want  none." 

Capron  resumed :  "  In  a-trav'lin'  through 
this  vale  o'  tears  if  one  can  give  a  helpin' 
hand  tu  a  feller  mortal  he  helps  hisself, 
sort  o'  boosts  both,  so  to  speak  —  which  is 
what  I  want  to  do  for  our  young  friend  and 
myself." 

"  Be  you  a  minister,  Mr.  Capron  ?  "  Jo- 
siah  asked,  looking  at  him  with  the  suspi 
cion  of  an  ungodly  person. 

"  I  am  not,  but  I  hope,  a  humble  follower 
in  the  footsteps  of  the  Master,"  said  Mr.  Ca 
pron,  dropping  his  eyelids  and  looking  meek. 

"  Hear  the  damned  wolf  in  black  sheep's 
clothing !  "  said  a  florid,  fair-haired  giant 


8  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

who  was  drinking  all  that  was  good  for  him 
at  a  neighboring  table,  with  the  drunken 
hatter  and  a  handsome,  dark-haired  young 
man  for  his  companions.  "  If  the  Master 
caught  him  a-follerin'  him,  he  'd  kick  him 
so  high  he  coidd  hear  the  Apostles  sneeze." 

"  That  big  feller  over  there,"  the  landlord 
whispered,  pointing  to  the  trio,  "  is  a-takin' 
up  lots  o'  land  in  the  Grants,  him  an'  his 
brothers.  That  han'some  little  chap  's  one 
on  'em  :  Stub  Allen,  they  call  him.  T'  other 
one  is  ol'  Ethan,  a  reg'lar  ol'  war-hoss,  'at 
fears  neither  God,  man,  or  devil." 

"  All  'raound  my  hat  I  wears  the  green 
wilier,"  the  hatter  howled  in  a  high  falsetto, 
that  cracked  and  fell  in  a  ruin  of  rumbling 
bass. 

"  H-s-s-sh  !  "  the  handsome  brother  cau 
tioned  with  a  sidewise  toss  of  his  curly  pate 
toward  the  landlord. 

"  'S  my  hat !  I  made  it,  V  I  '11  wear 
wilier  on  er  hat  'f  I  min'  ter,  'n'  I  '11  sing 
'bout  'em  'f  I  min'  ter!"  the  hatter  hic 
coughed,  glaring  savagely  into  space. 

"  That  damned  fool  of  a  hatter  is  drunk 
ag'in,"  the  landlord  remarked  sorrowfully. 


AT  THE  DEER'S  HEAD  9 

"  I  '11  liafter  send  him  hum  tu  rights.  Say, 
Bellows,"  to  the  brawny  blacksmith,  "  can't 
you  coax  Felt  home  ?  He 's  full  enough." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  can  coax  him,"  the  smith 
said,  rising  and  going  across  to  the  little 
hatter.  "  Come,  Felt,  it 's  time  you  an' 
me  was  tu  hum.  Come !  " 

"  Mr.  Felt-hat  is  my  guest,  and  he  '11  go 
home  when  he  and  I  please,"  the  flaxen- 
haired  giant  roared. 

"  But  his  wife  's  a-waitin'  for  him,  Mr. 
Allen,"  the  blacksmith  urged  mildly,  but 
with  a  dangerous  glitter  in  his  cavernous 
black  eyes. 

"  Captain  Allen,  if  you  please,"  the  giant 
amended  his  title. 

"  Beg  pardon,  Capt'in  Allen.  His  wife  '11 
be  oneasy  abaout  him." 

"  Oh,  well,  that  alters  the  case  —  the  la 
dies  must  always  be  considered,"  said  the 
placated  giant.  "  Let  me  assist  you,  old 
Hammer-and- Anvil."  So  saying,  he  picked 
up  the  little  hatter  and  flung  him  across  the 
blacksmith's  shoulder,  where  he  hung  limply, 
dangling  arms  and  legs  as  the  smith  bore 
him  away  amid  the  cheers  of  the  others. 


10  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

The  company  now  began  to  disperse, 
some  perhaps  hurried  by  the  example  of  the 
poor  hatter,  others  having  no  need  of  it. 
To  whatever  sort  the  fair  giant  belonged,  he 
arose  from  his  seat,  towering  above  all 
others. 

"  Come,  Stub,  they  've  broke  our  trinity, 
so  le's  go  tu  bed  —  when  I  've  pronounced 
the  benediction."  Then  spreading  out  his 
brawny  hands  on  a  level  with  most  heads, 
"  The  blessing  of  the  Great  Jehovah  be 
upon  this  goodly  company  and  upon  this 
house  —  even  unto  that  clerical  gentleman 
over  there,  and  especially  upon  all  the 
Lord's  anointed  who  intend  going  up  into 
the  wilderness  to  make  it  blossom  like  the 
rose." 

"  I  'm  no  minister,  Captain  Allen,  but  a 
lawyer,"  said  Capron. 

"  Ah,  indeed,  a  scribe,  not  a  Pharisee," 
said  Allen.  "  Good  -  night,  gentlemen. 
Come  on,  Stub,"  and  with  that  took  up  a 
candle,  and  followed  by  his  brother,  strode 
away  with  a  tread  that  made  all  the  glasses 
ring. 

"  Now   we  're   more   by   ourselves,"  said 


AT  THE  DEER'S  HEAD  11 

Capron,  looking  around  the  almost  empty 
room  with  its  clouds  of  wavering  smoke  and 
the  unsnuffed  candles  gleaming  dimly 
through  them,  "  I  '11  make  you  an  offer. 
I  '11  give  you  a  deed  o'  this  right  o'  land  for 
ten  pound,  the  balance  of  fifteen  pound  to 
be  paid  in  three  notes  on  long  time,  to  make 
it  easy  for  you.  If  I  was  n't  in  need  of 
money,  I  wouldn't  make  sech  a  sacrifice. 
What  do  you  say,  Mr.  Hill  ?  " 

"  A  pooty  good  chance,"  Dalrymple  said, 
looking  at  Josiah,  "  'n'  if  you  're  a  mind'  ter 
take  it,  I  '11  go  'long  wi'  ye,  an'  help  ye 
build  a  log  haouse,  an'  go  snucks  wi'  ye  on 
trappin',  for  the  sake  o'  hevin'  company  an* 
a  place  tu  stay.  Naow,  what  d  'ye  say  ?  " 

"  I'll  let  ye  know  in  ten  minutes,"  said 
Josiah,  after  a  few  minutes  pondering.  "  Is 
Mistress  Chloe  in  the  kitchen,  Mr.  Jarvis?  " 
he  asked  the  landlord,  and  upon  an  affirma 
tive  answer,  arose  and  went  out  to  the  kitchen, 
where  he  found  the  buxom  Chloe  taking  a 
final  oversight  of  her  finished  labors. 

"  Why,  Josier  Hill !  "  she  said,  with  an 
affectation  of  surprise,  and  a  pout  on  her 
pretty  lips  that  her  smiling  eyes  belied,  "  I 


12  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

reckoned  you  waVt  goin'  tu  gi'  me  a 
word  this  night,  you  was  so  took  up  wi'  them 
hateful  oF  men  an'  your  flip.  That  han'- 
some  Mr.  Allen  had  more  looks  for  me  'an 
what  you  had.  My !  hain't  his  eyes  black, 
though !  " 

"  Never  you  heed  'em,  Chloe,  they  don't 
mean  you  no  good,"  he  said,  taking  both  her 
hands  in  his  and  looking  down  at  her  with 
tender  seriousness.  "  I  hev  got  a  word  for 
ye,  in  sober  airnest,  an'  I  '11  say  it  right 
naow  wi'aout  no  beatin'  'raound  the  bush." 

uLaw,  Josier,  you  'most  scare  me,  you 
look  so  solemn." 

"  It 's  solemn  business.  I  'm  thinkin'  o' 
goin'  up  int'  the  New  Hampshire  Grants,  an' 
makin'  a  pitch.  If  I  du,  an'  git  a  home 
made  ready  for  ye,  snug  an'  comf't'ble  by  a 
year  from  naow,  will  ye  go  an'  share  it  wi' 
me  ?  We  've  knowed  each  other  since  we 
was  babies,  an'  hed  ought  tu  know  by  naow 
whether  we  can  stan'  it  together  all  aour 
lives.  It  won't  be  an  easy  life  for  a  spell, 
but  I  '11  du  the  best  I  can  for  ye,  an'  it  '11  go 
better  arter  a  few  years.  It 's  a  'st'or'nary 
fine  country  up  there,  an'  there  's  nothin'  tu 


AT  THE   DEER'S   HEAD  13 

be  feared  on  naow  but  natur'  an'  wild  beasts, 
sence  the  war 's  over  an'  the  Injuns  quilled. 
Gi'  me  an  answer,  Chloe,  an'  if  it 's  yes,  I  '11 
go,  an'  if  it 's  no,  I  '11  go,  but  I  don't  want 
tu  make  no  pitch.  For  God's  sake,  say  yes, 
if  you  can." 

"  Law,  Josier,  you  're  so  sudden  I  hain't 
no  breath  tu  answer  you,"  she  gasped,  pale 
as  a  lily. 

"  You  've  knowed  all  along  'at  I  wanted 
ye,  an'  you  'd  ort  tu  know  by  naow  whether 
you  '11  hev  me  or  no." 

"  A  year,  you  say  ?  " 

"  Yes,  in  a  year  I  '11  come  for  ye." 

"  Well,  then,  yes.  You  knowed  I  could  n't 
say  no  when  you  as't.  But  it  is  an  awful 
ways  off  to  go,  an'  a  lunsome  life  for  a 
woman." 

"  It 's  lunsomer  for  a  man  all  by  hisself. 
I  would  n't  never  be  lunsome  wi'  you." 

"  It 's  diff'nt  wi'  men.  Well,  it 's  a  hull 
year  fust,  anyways!  " 

"  Yes,  an'  I  can  du  lots  in  a  year,  an'  we  '11 
be  faithful  an'  true,  Chloe." 

"  Faithful  an'  true,  of  course,  we  will,  or 
leastways,  I  shall.  There,  you  've  taowsled 


14  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

my  hair  till  it  looks  as  if  the  witches  heel 
been  in  it.  Good-night." 

"  Good-night." 

Josiali's  companions  exchanged  significant 
glances  when  he  returned  to  them  within  the 
appointed  time,  his  face  calmly  radiant,  and 
announced,  "  It 's  a  bargain,  Mr.  Capron, 
an'  you  may  draw  the  writ  in' s  if  you  can 
show  me  a  clear  title." 

Thereupon  the  lawyer  produced  a  parch 
ment  duly  conveying  to  him  a  certain  right 
of  land,  from  one  of  the  original  grantees 
of  the  township  of  Lakefield,  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  in  his  Majesty's  Province  of  New 
Hampshire.  This  being  apparently  correct, 
the  lawyer  proceeded  to  make  another  deed 
to  Josiah  Hill,  which  was  signed  by  him, 
Anthony  Capron,  and  witnessed  by  the  land 
lord  and  Kenelm  Dalrymple,  to  be  acknow 
ledged  next  day  before  a  magistrate. 

"  I  conclude  you  've  found  you  a  pardner, 
Mr.  Hill,"  Capron  said  slyly. 

"Yes,"  Josiah  answered,  imperturbable, 
but  for  blushes.  "  Mr.  Dalrymple  here  's  a 
sort  of  a  pardner." 

Dalrymple  took  a  final  pull  at  his  mug,  and 


AT  THE   DEER'S  HEAD  15 

then  taking  up  the  candle,  after  snuffing  it 
with  his  fingers,  sucked  the  fluctuating  flame 
into  his  black  pipe  until  the  heel  was  well 
ignited,  and  said  :  — 

"  Wai,  seein'  aour  business  is  all  squared 
up,  we  might  as  well  turn  intu  aour  blankets. 
Good  night,  gentlemen." 

The  hostler  came  in  and  blew  out  the 
candle  in  his  tin  lantern,  and  made  up  his 
bed  in  the  bunk;  the  landlord  carefully 
banked  the  coals  in  the  fireplace ;  Josiah 
departed ;  the  lawyer  went  to  his  room ;  the 
bar-room  lapsed  into  silence  and  dim  con 
fusion  of  objects,  as  the  flat  cloud  of  tobacco 
smoke  and  the  mixed  fumes  of  the  various* 
liquors  slowly  drifted  up  the  wide  chimney. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   WILDEKNESS 

JOSIAH  HILL  was  up  betimes  next  morn 
ing  and  presently  engaged  in  preparations 
for  his  suddenly  conceived  plan  of  departure. 
The  c£10  were  paid  down,  the  deed  acknow 
ledged  and  in  his  possession,  and  Anthony 
Capron  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away 
southward  with  a  self-satisfied  smile  on  his 
sanctimonious  face.  The  Allen  brothers 
rode  northward  on  the  way  to  their  extensive 
purchases  in  the  Grants,  with  which  their 
fortunes  were  henceforth  to  be  so  intimately 
connected. 

Josiah  owned  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  new 
cart,  with  which  the  journey  was  to  be  made, 
and  the  latter  was  now  loaded  with  a  barrel 
of  pork  and  another  of  corn  meal,  blankets 
and  bed-quilts,  his  own  and  the  hunter's 
guns  and  traps,  axes,  a  kettle  and  frying- 
pan,  and  such  indispensable  articles  of  back- 


THE   WILDERNESS  17 

woods  life.  There  was  also  a  bountiful  supply 
of  cooked  provisions  for  the  long  journey, 
—  loaves  of  rye  and  Indian  bread,  baked 
pork  and  beans,  and  a  bag  of  New  England's 
staple  luncheon,  the  well-beloved  doughnut, 
whereof  they  were  to  see  no  more  for  many 
a  month. 

By  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  they  were 
ready  to  set  forth,  good-bys  were  said,  and 
with  an  interested  audience  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  hamlet's  population,  they  began 
the  long,  slow  journey.  The  oxen  swayed 
along  the  rough  road ;  the  cart  creaked  with 
jolting  over  it,  and  the  two  adventurers, 
seated  on  a  board  laid  across  the  cart  body, 
turned  their  backs  on  homes  and  friends. 
From  the  last  hilltop  of  the  valley  they 
looked  back  on  smooth,  green  fields,  snug 
homesteads,  the  winding  river  and  its  mills, 
the  maple  woodlands  kindling  with  the  first 
blaze  of  autumnal  tints,  and  heaved  a  sigh 
of  regret  for  all  they  were  leaving  behind. 

Thus  they  passed  out  of  Connecticut  and 
into  Massachusetts  and  across  it,  along 
traveled  highways,  through  improved  lands 
and  by  established  homesteads,  where  shade 


18  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

trees   of    second  growth    shaded    door-yard 
and  well  and  roadside,  and  brooks  babbled 
through  broad  meadows   in  unbroken   sun 
shine,  and  cattle  grazed  in  grassy  pastures 
-  so  old  that  the  stumps  and  debris  of  the 
former  forest  were  no  longer  seen.     Every 
few   miles  they  came  to  some  village  on  a 
stream,  with   its  sawmill  and   gristmill,   its 
store  and  blacksmith's  and  cooper's   shops, 
its  tavern,  with  its  hospitable  sign  and  in 
viting   roadside   nearness.     There   was   the 
meeting-house  standing  beside  its  increasing 
encampment  of  the  dead  —  the  green  tents 
where  the  pioneers  of  the  wilderness,  the  old 
Indian  fighters  and  advance  guard  of  the 
peaceful  army  of  invasion,  slept  the  long, 
dreamless  sleep,  with  many  of  the  genera 
tion  that  came  after  them  to  reap  where  they 
had  sown.     Sometimes  the  travelers  stopped 
for  the  night  at  a  hospitable  farmhouse,  some 
times  at  a  wayside  inn  —  always  welcome 
at  either,  with  their  budget  of  news  from 
the  lower  country,  which  became  fresher  and 
rarer  the  further  carried. 

Gradually  the  oxen  crept  toward  the  verge 
of  the  forest  and  dragged  the  red  cart  into 


THE   WILDERNESS  19 

the  broad  belt  of  scattered  new  farms, 
separated  by  increasing  miles  of  forests  and 
stretches  of  road,  always  growing  worse 
with  deep  ruts,  quagmires,  and  ruinous 
bridges.  So  they  came  to  a  fortified  block 
house,  an  outpost  of  the  old  frontier,  and 
rude  memorial  of  the  days  of  constant  peril 
and  frequent  alarm.  They  came  to  poorer 
nightly  quarters  in  one-roomed  loghouses, 
and  at  last  to  camping  in  or  under  the  body 
of  the  cart  by  outdoor  fires,  and  so,  by  de 
grees,  passed  out  of  civilization  into  the  wild, 
rude  life  of  the  pioneer. 

Once  in  the  dusk  of  nightfall  they  reached 
a  straggling  hamlet  and  were  searching  for 
its  inn,  when  the  tired  oxen  started  at  some 
object  near  a  house.  Looking  for  the  cause, 
the  travelers  saw  a  great  panther  standing  on 
a  cross-piece  at  the  top  of  a  post  and  knew 
that  this  was  the  famous  Catamount  Tavern 
of  Landlord  Fay,  at  Bennington,  the  head 
quarters  of  the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  whose 
fame  was  already  extending  beyond  the  bor 
ders  of  the  infant  commonwealth.  Great 
beams  of  light  stretched  out  from  the  win 
dows  of  the  cheerful  bar-room  athwart  the 


20  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

road  and  faded  out  in  the  gloom  of  the  op 
posite  field,  save  where  one  maple's  scarlet 
and  yellow  foliage  caught  the  full  glare  and 
glowed  like  a  tower  of  fire.  Here  a  com 
pany  of  a  dozen  stalwart  men  were  gathered, 
smoking,  drinking,  and  chatting,  who  de 
sisted  a  moment  to  regard  the  two  travelers 
as  they  entered.  Conspicuous  among  the 
company  was  the  burly  figure  of  Ethan 
Allen,  standing  with  his  back  to  the  fireplace 
and  discoursing  fluently  upon  whatever  topic 
came  uppermost. 

"  Ah  !  "  he  cried,  glaring  at  the  newcomers 
as  they  conferred  with  Landlord  Fay  con 
cerning  the  disposal  of  their  team,  "  two 
more  recruits  for  the  army  of  the  Lord. 
And  where  might  you  be  bound,  my  friends?  " 

"  As  far  as  the  Little  Otter,  nigh  the 
lake,"  Dalrymple  answered,  setting  his  rifle 
with  Josiah's  in  a  corner,  where  they  under 
went  inspection  by  many  lovers  of  guns. 

"  That 's  right,"  said  Allen.  "  Settle  on 
the  streams  ;  they  're  the  first  paths  of  the 
wilderness,  an  open  way  summer  and  win 
ter,  and  we  want  to  head  off  the  Yorkers 
on  all  of  them.  Stub  and  I  and  One-Eyed 


THE   WILDERNESS  21 

Tom,  here,"  indicating  a  sedate  gentleman, 
with  a  defective  eye,  who  sat  near  him, 
"  have  kept  that  in  mind,  and  we  've  made 
pitches  twenty  mile  beyond  you,  on  the 
Onion  Kiver.  Perhaps  we  '11  call  some  day 
as  we  are  passing." 

"  You  '11  be  welcome,"  said  Kenelm  and 
Josiah,  in  the  same  breath. 

"  You  've  taken  your  right  under  New 
Hampshire  ?  "  Allen  asked,  with  a  sudden, 
searching  look. 

"  In  course  I  have,"  said  Josiah.  "  I 
guess  ev'rybody  aour  way  does  that." 

"  Mostly,"  said  the  other  ;  "  but  there  be 
some  that  prays  to  the  good  Lord  and  the 
good  devil,  not  knowing  which  hands  they  '11 
fall  into ;  but  you  stick  to  the  Lord's  side, 
my  friend,  an'  you  '11  come  out  top.  If  the 
Yorkers  trouble  you,  let  us  know.  Give 
me  your  names,  please." 

He  wrote  them  down,  with  the  name  and 
number  of  their  location,  in  a  memorandum 
book,  and  turned  away,  to  confer  with  two 
men  of  very  noticeable  yet  very  different 
appearance  —  one  of  commanding  mien  and 
stature,  a  calm,  thoughtful,  resolute  face, 


22  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

deliberate  of  movement ;  the  other  of  me 
dium  height  but  muscular  mould,  and  firm 
set  features  almost  fierce  in  expression. 
The  first  was  Seth  Warner,  the  other  Re 
member  Baker,  a  kinsman  of  the  Aliens, 
both  leaders  in  the  opposition  to  New  York 
claimants. 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  said  Allen,  taking 
up  a  candle  and  leading  the  way,  "  let  us  go 
and  sit  in  the  judgment  seat."  And  there 
with  he  and  his  colleagues  left  the  bar-room 
and  could  be  heard  tramping  up  the  stairs 
and  into  the  afterward  famous  Council 
Chamber,  while  Kenelm  and  Josiah  were 
left  to  eat  their  "  tuckernuck  "  supper,  with 
only  the  hostler  and  a  couple  of  mugs  of  flip 
for  their  company. 

In  those  primitive  times  it  was  no  offense 
to  the  innholder  nor  shame  to  the  traveler 
to  carry  his  own  provisions  and  eat  them  by 
the  bar-room  fire,  and  this  was  called  "  trav 
eling  tuckernuck,"  a  name  that  smacks  of 
Indian  origin,  as  the  custom  does  of  the 
practice  of  the  red  wayfarer,  whose  sole 
dependence  was  on  his  bag  of  no-cake,  a 
parched,  pounded  corn,  and  his  hunk  of 


THE  WILDERNESS  23 

dried  venison,  eked  out  by  such  game  as 
he  chanced  to  kill.  Our  travelers  also 
adopted  this  plan  a  little  later,  when  the  old 
ranger  would  strike  into  the  woods  skirting 
the  road  and  pick  up  a  partridge  or  a  wild 
pigeon. 

When  they  set  forth  in  the  gray  of  the 
frosty  morning  there  was  no  one  else  astir 
in  the  inn,  but  as  they  looked  back  the 
breeze  moved  the  long  tail  of  the  panther  on 
the  signpost  and  gave  the  tawny  monster  a 
semblance  of  vigilant  life  as  his  white  fangs 
gleamed  out  in  the  direction  of  the  land  of 
the  enemy.  The  patient  oxen  swayed  along 
their  leisurely  way,  the  men  sometimes  in 
the  cart,  sometimes  plodding  beside  the 
team,  or  Kenelm  flanked  it  in  the  wayside 
woods,  with  rifle  ready  for  a  shot  at  par 
tridge  or  pigeon. 

Now  the  road,  seamed  with  ruts  and 
laced  with  a  network  of  gnarled  roots, 
scarred  and  worn  bare  by  hoofs,  wheels,  and 
rain,  ran  through  a  forest  that  looked  as 
ancient  as  the  world,  its  hoary  moss-clad 
pillars  rearing  their  branches  above  the  de 
cay  and  ruin  of  innumerable  predecessors  — 


24  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

life  perpetuating  itself  by  death,  as  nature 
ever  does,  and  as  eternity  makes  itself  un 
ending.  The  clatter  and  rumble  of  the 
cart  and  the  shouts  of  the  driver  echoed  far 
along  the  palisaded  thoroughfare  with  re 
bounding  crash  of  reverberation,  that  over 
bore  the  tinkle  of  sylvan  streams  and  rustle 
of  wind-swept  leaves,  and  scared  the  timid 
wood  folk  with  unnatural  noises. 

Now  there  was  a  clatter  of  hoofs  behind, 
and  the  two  Aliens  came  up,  gave  a  word 
of  cheer  as  they  passed  the  crawling  oxen, 
and  went  clattering  and  splashing  out  of 
sight  and  hearing  with  their  lesser  echoes. 
At  noon  our  travelers  came  to  a  small  clear 
ing,  crude  and  uncouth  with  the  newness  of 
its  hewing  from  the  wilderness,  log  heaps 
and  stumps  dotting  the  stubble  of  the  re 
cent  crop  and  sharing  the  ground  with  the 
shocked  corn.  The  bark-roofed  loghouse 
had  its  primitive  plumping-mill ;  a  hollowed 
stump,  spring  pole  and  pestle.  Its  outdoor 
oven,  like  a  mud  beehive,  gave  them  hospi 
table  welcome  through  its  open  door  to  the 
wide  fireplace  to  cook  themselves  a  dinner, 
which  was,  in  fact,  shared  by  their  enter- 


THE  WILDERNESS  25 

tainers,  while  the  oxen  were  made  free  to  a 
full  feed  of  unthreshed  oats.  Such  was  the 
hospitality  of  the  olden  time,  sharing  the 
little  it  had  with  every  comer,  and  asking 
as  freely  as  it  gave. 

Coming  to  no  such  friendly  shelter  at 
nightfall,  Kenelm  and  Josiah  made  camp 
beside  a  brook,  supplying  themselves  with  a 
goodly  store  of  firewood,  for  it  was  a  dismal 
camp-ground.  The  wolves  began  a  hideous 
concert  all  around  them  as  the  shadows  of 
night  descended  upon  the  wilderness,  and 
then,  behind  the  black  curtain,  the  wail  of  a 
panther  rang  as  it  stealthily  circled  about 
the  firelit  centre  wherein  the  frightened 
oxen  trembled  and  the  sleepless  travelers 
watched  and  fed  their  comforting  compan 
ion,  the  fire. 

So  passed  their  days  and  nights,  barren  of 
incident  almost  to  monotony,  except  for 
such  slight  mishaps  as  were  common  to 
pioneer  travelers.  One  day  a  bear,  shaggy, 
black  and  shining  in  autumnal  pelage, 
slouched  into  the  road  before  them,  and,  it 
self  in  a  flurry  of  alarm  at  the  unexpected 
encounter,  frightened  the  oxen  almost  to  an 


26  A   DANVIS   PIONEER 

overturn.  While  Josiali  held  the  team 
steadfast,  Kenelm  ran  forward  and  killed 
the  brute  with  a  well-aimed  rifle-shot  be 
hind  the  shoulder,  and  then  getting  the 
oxen  past  it  with  some  ado,  they  loaded  it 
upon  the  cart  and  journeyed  on  with  their 
trophy  to  the  next  frontier  hamlet,  where  it 
was  readily  exchanged  for  some  needed  ad 
ditions  to  their  stores. 

Anon,  they  heard  the  mellow  baying  of 
deep  -  mouthed  hounds  drawing  near  and 
nearer  from  the  hills,  and  halted  where  a 
pond  broke  the  many-colored  expanse  of  for 
est  on  the  left,  when  the  hounds  were  closer 
than  the  melodious  echoes  of  their  voices. 
Standing  alert  with  ready  rifles,  an  antlered 
buck  bounded  into  the  space  before  them, 
and  at  the  double  report  of  the  guns  plunged 
headlong  into  the  painted  thicket,  dyeing 
the  crimson  leaves  redder  with  its  blood. 
Then  the  gaunt,  blue-mottled  hounds  came 
up  and  guarded  the  quarry  so  fiercely  that 
the  slayers  were  forced  to  stand  off  until 
the  panting  hunter  came  upon  the  scene,  a 
sturdy  man  of  the  woods,  who  made  fair 
division  of  the  spoil,  and  added  something 


THE  WILDERNESS  27 

for  the  unstinted  praise  of  his  hounds,  of 
which  he  assured  them :  - 

"  They  '11  foller  anything  from  a  painter 
down  to  a  Yorker  and  a  skunk,  which  be 
the  meanest  things  in  all  my  knowledge  o' 
man  an'  natur'."  These  were  Peleg  Sun- 
derland  and  his  hounds,  which  afterward 
became  so  famous  in  the  hunting  of  Tories. 

Toward  the  close  of  a  sombre,  half-rainy 
day,  when  there  were  no  shadows  in  the 
woods,  but  a  universal  gloom,  and  the  only 
light  seemed  to  come  from  the  yellow  and 
crimson  poplars  and  maples  and  fiery  pep- 
peridges,  and  when  the  dusk  of  evening  de 
scended  and  they  had  not  found  a  suitable 
camp,  a  pack  of  wolves  began  trailing  them, 
howling  hungrily  and  calling  reinforcements, 
until  the  road  behind  was  dusky  with  the 
gathering  throng.  Josiah  kept  beside  the 
oxen,  quieting  and  encouraging  them,  while 
Dalrymple  sat  in  the  cart  facing  backward, 
with  one  rifle  across  his  knees  and  the  other 
in  hand  to  keep  the  pack  at  bay  shoidd  they 
become  too  threatening. 

At  the  first  slight  opening  where  a  brook 
babbled  along  its  pebbly  bed  and  spilled  it- 


28  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

self  into  pools  over  obstructing  logs,  Josiah 
stopped  the  team  and  plied  his  axe  lustily 
to  get  firewood  from  a  fallen  tree.  Then 
firing  some  punk  with  sparks  from  flint  and 
steel,  he  soon  had  a  cheerful  blaze  of  splin 
ters,  and  then  a  roaring  fire  that  licked  and 
tossed  the  overhanging  boughs  and  drove 
darkness  and  shadow  into  the  circling  gloom. 
Kenelm,  firing  his  rifles  in  quick  succession 
into  the  thick  of  the  pack  where  glaring 
eyeballs  shone  and  white  fangs  gleamed 
hungrily,  sent  the  gaunt  brutes  snarling  and 
whining  into  the  cover  of  darkness,  all  but 
three  that,  were  found  lying  stiff  and  stark 
in  the  road  next  morning,  and  were  added 
to  the  trophies  already  in  the  cart. 

Another  evening,  when  similarly  delayed 
in  finding  a  camp,  a  panther  prowled  beside, 
sometimes  seen  in  tawny  glimpses  or  glare 
of  baleful  eyes,  now  the  stealthy  footsteps 
stirring  the  fallen  leaves,  now  leaping  a 
prostrate  log,  or  unheard  as  its  soft  pads 
touched  softer  moss-clad  trunks.  Kenelm 
kept  vigilant  guard,  afraid  to  shoot  for  fear 
of  wounding,  until  a  camping-place  and  fuel 
were  reached,  and  the  unwelcome  attendant 


THE  WILDERNESS  29 

slunk  away,  spitting  angrily  and  then  cater 
wauling  afar  off. 

"  If  we  had  that  feller's  pelt  for  a  sign, 
we  'd  get  us  a  keg  o'  rum  an'  go  tu  keepin' 
tavern  on  aour  pitch,"  said  Kenelm. 

"  You  'd  sell  tu  me  one  day,  an'  me  tu  you 
the  next,"  Josiah  responded ;  "  but  I  'd  rutlier 
not  keep  tavern  if  I  'd  got  tu  git  the  sign." 

"  You  '11  git  used  tu  all  these  'ere  var 
mints  afore  your  year  's  up,  boy,  an'  thank 
your  stars  they  hain't  Injuns,  which  is  the 
b'iled  daown  black  salts  o'  hell  itself." 

One  day  as  they  were  traveling  along  the 
forest-bordered  road  they  saw  a  man  moving 
slowly  at  some  distance  before  them,  care 
fully  feeling  his  way  with  a  staff.  As  they 
drew  nearer  he  got  cautiously  out  of  the 
road  and  awaited  their  approach  with  closed 
eyes  turned  toward  them. 

"  Good  folks,  be  you  goin'  so  far  as  Man 
chester  ?  "  he  whined  dolorously. 

"  Yes,  and  beyond,"  Kenelm  answered. 

"  Wai,  then,  would  n't  ye  jest  as  lives  let 
a  poor  blind  man  keep  along  wi'  ye  fer  com 
pany  an'  guidin'  ?  If  ye  will,  I  '11  ask  the 
Lord  tu  bless  ye,  an'  I  know  He  will." 


30  A  DANVIS   PIONEER 

"  Sartinly,  an'  you  can  ride  in  the  cart  if 
you  're  a  min'  tu,"  said  Kenelrn,  and  helped 
hini  to  mount,  and  in  doing  so  noticed  the 
butt  of  a  pistol  sticking  from  his  pocket. 
"  But  what  be  you  a-doin'  wi'  a  pistil  ?  I 
never  heerd  o'  blind  folks  shootin'." 

"  Wai,  I  did  n't  know  but  what  I  might, 
at  clust  quarters  if  any  varmint  tackled  me, 
an'  it 's  sort  o'  comp'ny.  I  could  fire  it  if 
I  got  lost,  an'  mebby  fetch  somebody  'fore 
I  perished." 

"  That  is  a  good  idee,"  said  Kenelm. 
"  An'  haow  come  ye  tu  be  on  sech  good 
terms  wi'  the  Lord  'at  He  hes  ye  sarve  aout 
His  blessin's  ?  " 

"  It 's  turrible  lunsome  in  the  dark,  an'  I 
commune  with  Him  in  .spirit  for  company." 

"  That 's  another  good  idee,  tu,"  the  old 
ranger  said. 

"  Where  be  you  cal'latin'  tu  stay  tu- 
night  ?  "  the  blind  man  asked,  after  a  little 
feeling  of  the  things  in  the  cart. 

"  It  depends  on  where  we  git  tu.  Proberly 
we  shall  camp  somewheres." 

A  gleam  of  satisfaction  passed  over  the 
man's  face.  "  I  'm  £lad  on  't.  I  lufter 


THE  WILDERNESS  31 

camp  aout.  The  sight  —  I  mean  the  feelin' 
an'  smell  an'  noise  of  a  camp-fire  doos  me 
good.  An'  you  got  pork  in  this  'ere  barril  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  An'  Injun  meal  in  that  'ere  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Gosh !  Provisions  enough  tu  keep  a 
fam'ly  all  winter.  An'  them  wolf-pelts  wi' 
the  baounty  '11  fetch  ye  thirty  Spanish  dol 
lars  tu  Manchester.  Be  they  expectin'  of 
ye  there,  any  o'  your  folks  ?  " 

uNo,  we  do'  know  a  soul  there,"  said 
Ken  elm,  who,  happening  suddenly  to  turn  his 
averted  face  upon  their  new  acquaintance, 
caught  him  regarding  him  with  open  eyes 
and  a  hungry,  crafty  expression  upon  his 
countenance,  but  feigned  to  take  no  notice 
of  this. 

They  made  camp  early  in  the  first  suit 
able  place  they  came  to,  and  as  they  were 
preparing  it  Kenelm  found  an  opportunity 
to  whisper  to  Josiah :  "  We  want  tu  keep  a 
sharp  eye  on  that  feller  ;  he  hain't  no  more 
blind  'an  we  be  !  " 

Having  got  a  roaring  fire  started,  they 
cooked  and  ate  their  supper,  then  spread  blan- 


32  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

kets  and  quilts  underneath  the  tilted  cart  and 
crept  into  their  beds.  Kenelm  Daliymple 
feigned  sleep,  as  did  the  stranger ;  who,  after 
being  assured  that  their  slumber  was  sound, 
cautiously  crept  from  his  bed  and  went  out  to 
the  fire,  where,  watching  through  half-closed 
lids,  Kenelm  saw  him  examining  the  priming 
of  his  pistol,  then  placing  the  axe  within 
reach,  casting  frequent  stealthy,  backward 
glances  at  the  supposed  sleepers,  whose 
snores  increased  in  volume.  Now,  as  the 
scamp  crouched  again  to  make  sure  of  flint 
and  priming,  Kenelm  silently  laid  off  the 
blankets,  and  crouching  like  a  lynx  for  a 
leap,  sprang  at  one  bound  upon  the  shoul 
ders  of  the  plotting  thief,  and  bore  him  face 
down  upon  the  earth. 

In  the  sudden  onset  the  pistol  was  fired, 
the  harmless  bullet  scattering  abroad  a 
shower  of  ashes  and  embers.  Kenelm 
wrenched  it  away,  and  tossed  it  over  to 
Josiah,  who  now  came  forth  wondering  at 
all  the  sudden  commotion. 

"  Fetch  a  rope  an'  tie  the  devil's  hands," 
Kenehn  panted,  sitting  on  his  adversary  to 
regain  breath. 


THE  WILDERNESS  33 

This  done  they  bound  him  to  a  cartwheel, 
threw  a  blanket  over  him  and  resumed  their 
own,  and  slept  soundly.  In  the  morning 
they  dragged  the  shivering  wretch  to  the 
fire,  warmed  him,  fed  him,  and  turned  him 
out  upon  the  road  with  a  parting  admo 
nition  from  Kenelm :  "  Now,  you  skunk, 
go  your  ways,  an'  remember  us  for  hevin' 
wrought  a  meracle  on  ye,  in  restorin'  your 
sight.  Don't  seek  us  no  more,  for  if  you 
run  acrost  us  ag'in,  it 's  more  'n  likely  we  'd 
turn  ye  deaf  an'  dumb  as  well  as  blind." 

Then  they  went  their  way,  coming  to 
Manchester,  and  to  Socialborough,  where 
they  bade  farewell  to  their  kind  and  entered 
upon  the  long,  lonely  journey  to  the  Little 
Otter. 

Their  route  now  lay  for  the  most  part 
along  the  banks  of  the  Great  Otter,  now 
skirting  long,  silent  flowing  reaches,  now 
noisy  rapids  and  booming  cataracts,  here  the 
gorgeous  forest  reflected  branch  for  branch 
and  leaf  for  leaf  in  the  glassy  water,  except 
as  otter  or  wild  fowl  broke  it  with  an  arrowy 
wake,  there  shattered  into  a  thousand  flecks 
of  every  color  where  the  torn  current  stretched 


34  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

down  the  long  incline  of  rapids,  or  leaped 
in  a  white  tumult  of  foam  down  a  wall  of 
rock,  and  sent  far  down  the  watery  lane  and 
far  into  the  hushed  forest  the  tremendous 
thunder  of  its  plunge. 

So  without  further  adventure  with  beasts 
or  men,  they  came  to  the  Lower  Falls  of  the 
Otter,  called  by  the  Waubanakees,  Ne-tah- 
me-puntook-Peconktook,  and  here  crossed  on 
the  gathered  driftwood  to  the  right  bank, 
where  they  found  one  Pangborn  established 
and  preparing  to  build  a  sawmill,  though  he 
was  in  constant  fear  of  the  Yorkers,  who 
held  a  claim  here  under  a  New  York  charter. 
He  was  to  be  their  nearest  neighbor,  and 
they  bade  him  good-by  with  a  promise  on  the 
part  of  each  to  visit  each  other  soon. 

Next  day  they  came  to  the  Little  Otter, 
and  crossed  it  on  a  rude  bridge  at  the  chasm 
of  the  Lower  Falls,  where  they  found  a 
Quaker  surveyor,  Timothy  Rogers  by  name, 
who  directed  them  to  their  pitch,  though  he 
doubted  the  validity  of  the  title,  he  being 
proprietor's  clerk  and  having  no  record  of 
its  sale  to  Anthony  Capron. 

"  I  'm  af eared  somebody  'n  other  's  b'en 


THE  WILDERNESS  35 

a-playin'  of  thee  a  trick,  young  man,"  the 
old  surveyor  said,  consulting  a  map  which 
he  spread  upon  a  stump.  "  Thy  lot,  seventy- 
four,  was  drawed  tu  the  right  of  Nicholas 
Delaplaine,  an'  I  don't  find  'at  he  's  sol'  it  tu 
anybody.  Haowsomedever,  thee  can  go  on 
an'  make  betterments,  an'  I  think  Nicholas  '11 
allow  thee  what 's  right  for  'em.  He  's  a 
member  'mong  Friends." 

"  This  'ere  's  one  o'  your  man's  mill  seats, 
Josier,"  said  Kenelm,  pointing  to  the  white 
cataract  roaring  through  the  narrow  gorge, 
"  an'  it  hain't  wi'in  three  mild  o'  your  pitch, 
an'  the  one  on  Lewis  hain't  no  nigher.  That 
shows  the  critter  's  a  liar,  tu  begin  with." 
With  some  misgivings  they  turned  their 
backs  upon  the  surveyor  and  the  forest-muf 
fled  thunder  of  the  falls,  and  made  tedious 
progress  over  an  abominable  road  toward 
their  destination. 

After  a  long  search  they  found  the  corner 
tree  marked  on  four  sides  with  the  numbers 
of  the  lots,  among  which  was  lot  seventy- 
four,  a  low-lying  parcel  of  land  bordered  by 
the  marshes  of  two  streams  on  two  sides, 
and  heavily  timbered  with  pine,  hemlock,  and 


36  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

many  kinds  of  deciduous  trees  —  all  giants 
of  the  ancient  days.  They  made  a  shelter 
for  the  night,  turned  the  oxen  loose  to  feed 
along  the  edge  of  the  marsh,  and  then  slept 
the  heavy  sleep  of  weariness  after  an  accom 
plished  labor. 


CHAPTER  III 

HEEMIT    LIFE    IN    THE   WOODS 

NEXT  day  they  searched  for  a  suitable  site 
for  their  cabin,  and  found  it,  indicated  by 
the  choice  of  some  former  hunter's  camp 
beside  a  little  creek,  with  a  convenient  land 
ing  for  boats,  and  yet  out  of  sight  of  the 
main  stream,  though  but  a  little  way  from  it.1 

They  at  once  set  to  felling  trees  for  their 
house  ;  cut  the  logs  of  proper  length  ;  hauled 
them  to  the  spot ;  rolled  them  up  ;  notched 
them  and  set  them  in  place ;  cut  a  place  for 
door  and  window  ;  split  and  hewed  puncheons 
for  floor  and  roof,  and  in  a  few  days  had  a 
substantial  house,  all  the  crevices  warmly 
chinked  with  moss  and  clay ;  a  stone  fireplace 
at  one  end ;  a  one-posted  bedstead  in  a  cor 
ner  with  a  luxurious  bed  of  marsh  grass  and 
cedar  twigs,  distilling  aromatic  fragrance  and 
inviting  dreamless  sleep. 

1  In  1860,  the  traces  of  their  cabin,  with  its  fireplace, 
were  plain  to  be  seen. 


38  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

Pork  barrel  and  meal  barrel  had  their  cor 
ner  ;  there  was  a  furnishing  of  rude  table 
and  stools,  one  for  each  and  a  third  for 
a  guest  ;  hooks  for  the  guns  on  the  walls, 
and  numerous  wooden  pegs,  until  at  last 
everything  was  handy,  comfortable,  and 
rudely  homelike. 

Josiah's  day-dreams  added  the  presence  of 
his  fair-haired  Chloe,  and  his  heart  beat 
quick  at  the  thought  of  her  longed-for  com 
ing.  After  the  wooden  hinged  door  was 
hung,  with  wooden  latch  lifted  from  outside 
by  a  string,  and  a  wooden  shutter  of  the 
same  sort  was  in  place,  a  shed  was  built 
for  the  oxen,  a  stack  of  marsh  hay  made 
beside  it  for  winter  use,  and  the  pioneers 
looked  forward  without  apprehension  to  the 
coming  of  the  dreary  months  of  snowbound 
solitude. 

Now  Josiah  plied  his  axe  to  make  a  clear 
ing,  the  log  heaps  were  burned,  the  ashes 
stored  for  future  potash-making,  and  a  little 
rye  scratched  into  the  virgin  soil  for  next 
year's  crop.  A  thin  fringe  of  the  giant 
water  maples  was  left  along  the  shore  divid 
ing  the  three-acre  clearing  from  the  brown 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS       39 

marsh  through  which  the  sluggish  channel 
curved  its  amber  waterway.  Here  toward 
nightfall  came  wonderful  flights  of  water 
fowl  innumerable,  in  countless  flocks,  making 
the  air  pulse  with  the  vibrant  whistle  of 
pinions,  and  the  splash  and  surge  of  alight 
ing  to  feed  and  rest  among  the  measureless 
acres  of  wild  oats  that  bordered  the  channel. 
Then  Kenelm  would  steal  forth  in  the  log 
canoe  he  had  fashioned  from  one  of  his 
Majesty's  pines,  and  fire  a  deadly  shot  into 
the  unwary  throng,  whereupon  followed  a 
thunderous  burst  of  uprising,  and  as  this 
subsided  the  echoes  of  the  solitary  discharge 
rippled  out  in  far-off  waves  of  sound  that 
beat  against  distant  hills  and  wooded  shores. 

Often  a  deer  fell  to  his  bullets,  and  once 
a  mighty  moose,  wallowing  in  the  marsh  to 
the  fringe  of  lily-pads,  was  waylaid  and 
killed,  furnishing  a  winter's  supply  of  wild 
beef,  which  was  smoked  and  dried  and  stored 
in  the  low  loft. 

Besides  such  service,  Kenelm  was  tending 
his  traps  every  day  all  along  the  two  streams, 
and  far  back  into  the  wild  forest,  by  blazed 
lines,  where  deadfalls  were  set  for  marten 


40  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

and  fisher  and  bear,  so  that  before  the  first 
snows  fell  to  whiten  the  steel-blue  helmet  of 
Camel's  Hump  —  Tahwah-be-de-e-wadso  — 
or  grizzle  the  pine-clad  crest  of  nearer  Char- 
lotta,  the  cabin  walls  were  lined  with  the 
appropriated  coats  of  every  fur-bearer,  from 
panther,  bear,  wolf,  fox,  down  to  the  humble 
mink  and  muskrat. 

"  They  11  turn  us  aou'  door,  Josier,"  he 
said,  as  he  took  account  of  stock,  "  if  I 
don't  pack  'em  aout  tu  the  settlements  when 
it  comes  snowshoein'."  And  with  that  ob 
ject  in  view  he  began  making  snowshoes  and 
toboggan,  for  he  was  skilled  in  all  such  In 
dian  craft. 

Josiah  did  not  look  forward  to  this  period 
of  loneliness  with  very  cheerful  anticipation  ; 
the  lonely,  silent  days  when  he  should  have 
no  means  of  whiling  away  the  slow  hours 
but  in  cutting  firewood,  feeding  the  oxen  and 
reading  his  two  books,  the  Bible  and  Pil 
grim's  Progress. 

"  'T  ain't  nothin',"  said  Kenelm,  "  an' 
you  '11  be  right  as  a  trivet,  an'  jest  take  solid 
comfort  o'  life.  Half  a  berril  o'  pork,  an' 
as  much  meal,  a  charmber  full  o'  jerked 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE   WOODS       41 

meat,  an'  a  million  acres  o'  firewood  tu  your 
door.  I  would  n't  ask  no  better,  an'  you 
can  go  in  my  place  if  you  want  to." 

But  the  original  plan  seemed  best,  as 
Kenelm  could  best  dispose  of  the  peltry,  and 
was  the  better  woodsman  for  such  a  journey. 
So  a  little  before  Christmas  he  set  forth  on 
his  snowshoes,  hauling  the  toboggan  load  of 
choicest  furs  and  provision  of  no-cake  and 
jerked  venison  for  the  journey,  and  bearing 
a  birch-bark  letter  to  Chloe  from  her  lover. 

Betaking  himself  first  to  the  frozen,  snow- 
covered  channel  of  Little  Otter,  then  across 
to  the  Great  Otter  to  Pangborn's,  thence 
to  the  end  of  his  journey  by  the  Old  Indian 
Eoad,  whence  in  the  bloody  days  of  savage 
warfare  many  a  marauding  band  of  French 
and  Indians  had  gone  on  its  deadly  errand, 
and  returned  with  prisoners  and  plunder  and 
ghastly  trophies. 

Josiah  was  not  yet  of  the  sort  to  take 
kindly  to  a  solitary  life,  and  the  lonely  days 
passed  heavily,  more  heavily  the  long,  lonely 
nights  with  no  companionship  but  the  fire 
and  the  leaping  shadows  it  cast  upon  the 
corrugated  walls,  the  image  of  a  three-legged 


42  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

stool  stretching  across  the  floor,  climbing 
the  logs  and  snatching  at  the  crossbeams, 
with  his  own  shadowy  figure  leaping  and 
falling  beside  it,  till  both  seemed  grotesque, 
uncanny  goblins  dancing  to  the  crackle  and 
roar  of  the  fire  until  it  burned  low  and  they 
faded  out,  then  sprang  to  fitful  life  when  a 
charred  brand  briefly  flared  with  an  expiring 
flame. 

When  he  covered  the  coals  and  crept  into 
his  blankets  and  all  the  room  was  in  gloom 

O 

but  the  dull  ashen  glow  on  the  hearth,  the 
cheerfidest  sound  was  the  muffled  bursting 
of  a  smothered  coal,  or  simmer  of  the  sappy 
backlog,  or  the  faint  clash  of  the  stabled 
oxen's  horns.  With  these  were  mingled  the 
outer  voices  of  the  night ;  the  sharp  crack 
of  the  frost-strained  trees,  the  moaning  of 
the  wind  in  the  interminable  forest,  the  bod 
ing  hoot  of  an  owl,  the  howl  of  a  hungry 
wolf,  the  creak  of  the  snow  under  the  stealthy 
tread  of  some  night  prowler. 

Once  in  the  dead  of  a  still  night  such 
a  sound  culminated  in  a  scratching  ascent 
of  the  jutting  corner  logs  and  the  claws  of 
the  intruder  tore  at  the  puncheon  roof,  be- 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS       43 

neath  which  hung  a  saddle  of  frozen  veni 
son.  Then  the  stealthy  footfalls  crunched 
toward  the  chimney,  were  heard  climbing  it, 
and  then  long-drawn  sniffs  came  muffled 
down  its  hollow.  Josiah  sprang  from  his 
bed,  drew  from  it  an  armful  of  straw,  has 
tily  raked  open  the  coals  and  threw  it  upon 
them.  There  was  a  puff  of  smoke,  an  upburst 
of  flame  to  the  chimney  top,  a  gasping  hiss 
of  fright  and  menace,  a  scream  of  rage,  a 
headlong  plunge  into  the  snow,  and  long- 
receding  leaps  faded  into  the  silence,  leaving 
nothing  behind  but  an  odor  of  singed  hair. 
After  that  an  armful  of  marsh  hay  was  laid 
ready  every  night  for  a  similar  emergency. 

Besides  the  time  given  to  providing  fire 
wood,  Josiah  spent  much  of  it  in  hollowing 
out  sap  troughs  and  making  spouts  for  the 
coming  spring  sugar-making,  and  perfected 
himself  in  the  art  of  snowshoe  weaving,  that 
he  had  learned  of  his  comrade,  and  also  prac 
ticed  the  art  of  wearing  them.  He  made 
splint  brooms  of  birch,  and  wooden  bowls 
and  spoons,  and  had  pleasant  fancies  of  the 
commendation  his  handiwork  would  receive 
from  Chloe  when  she  came  to  see  it.  At 


44  A  DANVIS   PIONEER 

times  he  was  oppressed  by  fearful  forebod 
ings  of  mortal  sickness  and  lonely  death, 
and  pictured  to  himself  the  horror  of  his 
returning  comrade  at  finding  him  stiff  and 
stark  in  the  cold  and  desolate  cabin.  On 
such  occasions  of  foreboding  he  found  more 
comfort  in  his  Bible  than  he  had  ever  thought 
possible,  and  he  made  a  vague  resolution  of 
joining  Chloe's  church  when  the  opportunity 
was  given  him.  Besides  the  comfort  the  one 
book  gave,  he  found  great  lightening  of 
weariness  and  loneliness  in  both  volumes, 
and  wished  for  but  one  other,  and  that  was 
44  Robinson  Crusoe,"  in  whose  adventures 
and  lonely  life  he  imagined  parallels  to  his 
own  experience. 

Once  his  next-door  neighbor,  Pangborn, 
and  his  son  came  to  visit  him,  spending  the 
night  and  part  of  the  next  day  with  him,  and 
giving  him  some  very  old  news  from  the 
southern  settlements.  The  care  of  the  oxen 
prevented  his  returning  the  neighborly  call, 
which,  if  it  enforced  the  sense  of  loneliness, 
also  made  him  feel  that  he  was  not  quite  for 
saken  by  his  kind. 

So  the  weeks  passed  until  six  were  gone, 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN   THE  WOODS       45 

and  then  one  day  when  the  frozen  lake  was 
booming  its  plaint  of  long  imprisonment,  he 
heard  a  faint  but  nearer  and  less  supernatu 
ral  voice  upon  the  creek,  and  looking  out 
saw  his  home-coming  friend  briskly  shuffling 
toward  him  on  his  snowshoes,  trailing  the 
well-laden  toboggan  behind  him.  There  was 
great  rejoicing  and  unfolding  of  news,  and 
delivering  of  messages  from  friends ;  a 
brief,  unsatisfying,  complaining  letter  from 
Chloe,  and  consequent  doubt  and  misgiv 
ing —  not  lessened  when  Kenelm  said  sol 
emnly  :  — 

"  You  don't  want  tu  set  your  heart  tu 
much  on  women  folks,  'cause  they  're  all 
more  deceivin'  'an  the  wind  that  blows.  I 
know  'em  all  through,  an'  they  can't  fool  me 
no  more." 

"  You  don't  mean  Chloe  ?  " 

"  I  don't  mean  her  no  more  'n  the  rest  on 
'em  —  they  've  all  got  tu  be  right  'n  under 
your  eye  tu  be  sure  .on  'em,"  Kenelm  re 
sponded  bitterly,  and  continued,  "  The  Wid- 
der  Ballou  give  me  her  word  afore  we  come 
away  last  fall,  an'  wha'  d'  ye  think  ?  Wai, 
sir,  I  found  her  merried  tu  ol'  Deacon  Weth- 


46  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

erbee  when  I  got  back.  She  must  ha'  took 
up  wi'  him  afore  we  was  out  o'  sight  on  the 
road.  But  she  's  the  last !  " 

He  began  unpacking  the  tea,  coffee,  and 
sugar  he  had  brought,  and  reported  a  hand 
some  sum  of  money  deposited  in  the  Hart 
ford  bank  from  the  sale  of  the  fur.  Josiah 
was  disheartened,  for  he  felt  sure  his  love 
affair  was  going  wrong,  yet  scorned  to  ask 
questions  which  showed  lack  of  faith.  He 
was  glad  when  spring  and  sugar -making 
came  to  keep  his  hands  busier  and  his 
thoughts  from  brooding  on  Chloe. 

During  the  season  of  sugar-making  Josiah 
became  intimate  with  the  Canada  jays,  im 
pertinent  thieves  that  they  were  ;  they  were 
company,  and  so  were  the  friendly  chicka 
dees  and  nuthatches,  and  woodpeckers  that 
bored  the  logs  of  the  house  for  grubs  and 
drummed  on  the  resonant  stick  chimney, 
and  he  made  friends  with  a  solitary  old 
crow,  though  they  were  likely  to  fall  out 
after  corn-planting.  Bluebirds  brought  the 
color  and  song  of  heaven  down  to  the  clear 
ing,  and  robins  came,  and  blackbirds 
thronged  the  border  of  the  marsh,  where 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS       47 

open  pools  began  to  form,  into  which  re 
turning  waterfowl  dropped  to  rest  and  feed. 
Stumps,  logs,  and  wintergreen  -  clad  cradle 
knolls  began  to  show  above  the  snow.  Par 
tridges  drummed  far  and  near  in  the  pur 
pling  woods.  The  snow  and  ice  disappeared 
magically,  the  black  mould  of  the  clearing 
was  laid  bare,  and  the  blue  water  of  the 
creek  shimmered  in  the  sunlight  down  to 
the  slumpy  ice  of  the  bay,  and  there  were 
the  sounds  of  running  brooks,  the  crackling 
croak  of  frogs  and  trill  of  toads,  and  lo !  the 
miracle  of  spring  had  wrought  its  magic 
transformation. 

The  luxury  they  won  from  the  maples 
made  a  most  acceptable  addition  to  their 
monotonous  fare.  Josiah  even  attempted 
the  manufacture  of  a  pie  from  their  precious 
stock  of  flour,  with  bear's  grease  for  short 
ening,  wild  strawberries  sweetened  with 
maple  sugar  for  filling,  and  was  so  far  suc 
cessful  that  they  ate  the  interior  with  con 
siderable  relish,  and  had  the  crust  left  over 
to  fill  again. 

Summer  was  upon  them,  with  no  end  of 
work  to  do,  and  when  they  could  least  af- 


48  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

ford  it  they  both  fell  ill  with  fever  and  ague. 
One  day  they  were  burning  with  a  consum 
ing  fire,  the  next  shaking  with  chills  that 
froze  the  marrow  of  their  bones,  and  during 
both  were  barely  able  to  crawl  about  to  the 
most  necessary  tasks,  though  fortunately 
their  ague  fits  came  on  alternate  days. 

During  one  June  day  when  Kenelm  lay 
shivering  in  all  the  blankets  before  a  roast 
ing  fire,  and  Josiah  was  administering  hot 
drinks  of  herbs  and  hemlock  twigs,  a  figure 
darkened  the  door,  and  looking  up  they  saw 
a  tall  Indian  silently  regarding  them.  lie 
asked  for  food,  and  Josiah  set  cold  johnny- 
cake  and  dried  venison  before  him,  whereof 
he  partook,  and  departed  as  silently  as  he 
came. 

Next  day  he  returned,  accompanied  by  an 
old  squaw,  and  bringing  a  large  salmon. 
The  woman  produced  a  package  of  dried 
red  berries,  giving  out  an  aromatic  odor  like 
lemon  peel.  She  called  for  liquor  of  some 
sort,  and  they  brought  out  a  quart  bottle  of 
hoarded  New  England  rum.  The  Indian 
and  squaw  each  took  a  drink  from  it  to 
make  room  for  the  berries,  which  were  then 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS       49 

added,  with  the  result  of  producing  a  mix 
ture  which  was  liquid  fire.  When  Josiah, 
whose  ague  fit  was  on,  took  a  mouthful  of 
it,  it  burned  its  way  into  his  interior  with 
such  effect  that  the  ague  was  banished  from 
his  body,  and  a  few  doses  made  him  well 
again ;  and  with  Kenelm  the  effect  was  the 
same,  though  at  first  he  swore  the  Indians 
had  poisoned  him  out  of  revenge  for  his 
share  in  the  Rogers  raid.  The  Indian  told 
them  that  a  party  of  their  people  were  sal 
mon  fishing  at  the  Lower  Falls  of  Sun-gah- 
nee-took,  or  Lewis  Creek.  Next  day  the 
pioneers  went  over  to  see  the  sport.  Many 
women  and  children  were  all  busy,  some 
with  bark  nets  at  the  weirs,  others  with 
curious  wooden  spears,  others  cleaning  the 
fish,  and  others  drying  them  on  racks  over 
smoking  fires. 

Next  day  half  the  Indians  returned  the 
visit,  and  were  royally  entertained,  each 
with  a  spoonful  of  the  prickly  ash  berry 
mixture,  and  a  burned  stomachful  of  moose 
meat  and  johnny-cake,  and  so  became  fast 
friends  of  the  two  white  men,  an  alliance 
which  soon  proved  most  fortunate. 


60  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

One  day  when  the  pioneers  were  hoeing 
their  corn  under  the  vigilant  eye  of  Jo- 
siah's  late  friend,  the  crow,  they  descried 
two  boats  entering  the  creek  from  the  bay, 
and  the  crews,  being  attracted  by  the  new 
clearing,  came  to  the  landing  and  accosted 
the  settlers.  It  was  the  party  of  a  New 
York  surveyor,  engaged  in  locating  New 
York  grants.  The  official  at  once  set  up 
his  Jacobstaff  and  proceeded  to  allot  this 
pitch  to  a  New  York  land  speculator,  and 
warned  the  present  occupants  off  the  pre 
mises,  without  compensation  for  their  time, 
labors,  and  betterments. 

The  party  swaggered  up  from  the  land 
ing,  and  made  as  free  with  the  house  and 
its  contents  as  if  all  belonged  to  them.  One 
ransacked  the  loft  and  brought  down  dried 
venison  to  cook  for  the  company.  Another 
demanded  flour,  Indian  meal  not  being  good 
enough  for  such  gentry.  Old  Kenclm  fumed 
mightily,  but  discreetly  withheld  his  hand 
from  laying  a  cudgel  about  their  shoulders. 

"  You  fellows  would  best  get  out  of  this," 
the  surveyor  said,  "  for  Captain  Williams 
will  be  wanting  to  occupy  his  claim  at  once." 


HERMIT  LIFE   IN  THE  WOODS       51 

"  Maybe  the  Green  Mountain  boys  will 
have  a  word  to  say  about  that,"  said  Josiah. 

"  To  the  devil  with  Allen  and  his  scoun 
drels  !  "  the  other  scoffed.  "  We  '11  have 
the  whole  crew  hanged  in  a  month.  There 
is  a  reward  out  for  the  leaders." 

"  Ketchin'  on  'em  's  another  story,"  said 
Josiah,  and  asked :  "  Haow  big  is  your  cap 
tain's  claim  ?  " 

"  A  thousand  acres,  running  north,  your 
stealings  being  nigh  the  south  line." 

"  That  '11  run  int'  the  gov'nor's  right  o' 
five  hundred  acres." 

"  D —  -  your  governor's  right !  He  's 
got  no  right  in  this  province  !  " 

"  Seem'  the  cap'n  's  got  so  much  he 
might  leave  us  alone  on  this  leetle  patch." 

"  No  ;  off  you  go,  and  that 's  all  there  is 
about  it,"  quoth  the  inexorable  official. 

The  pioneers  were  at  their  wits'  end,  and 
drew  apart  for  a  little  consultation  while  the 
usurpers  were  busy  with  their  cooking.  The 
result  was  that  Josiah  slipped  away,  and 
was  presently  making  his  best  speed  toward 
the  Indian  camp.  The  unbidden  guests 
took  leisurely  time  with  the  meal  furnished, 


52  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

in  part  from  their  own  stores  and  in  part 
from  such  things  as  they  chose  of  the  set 
tlers'  provisions,  every  mouthful  of  which 
was  begrudged  them  by  old  Kenelm,  as  he 
sat  apart  watching  them  out  of  the  corners 
of  his  eyes  in  sullen  silence. 

Suddenly,  as  if  they  had  stepped  out  of 
the  gray  shells  of  the  tree  trunks,  a  score  of 
armed  fantastic  figures  appeared  on  every 
side,  and  simultaneously  announced  their 
presence  by  a  horrid  discord  of  yells. 

"  What  the  devil !  "  exclaimed  the  sur 
veyor,  springing  to  his  feet  and  dropping  a 
choice  tidbit  of  stolen  moose  tongue,  while 
his  party  cowered  in  the  corners  and  sought 
shelter  behind  the  great  jambs  of  the  fire 
place.  "  Who  the  devil  are  these  Indians, 
and  what  do  they  want  ? "  the  surveyor 
asked  of  Kenelm  when  he  recovered  a  little 
from  his  surprise. 

"  In j ins !  "  the  old  ranger  repeated  in 
derision.  "  Why,  man  alive,  they  hain't 
nothin'  but  Green  Mountain  boys  dressed 
up  for  business.  They  've  got  their  faces 
daubed  red  an'  black  tii  hide  their  featur's, 
bein'  the'  's  a  baounty  sot  on  'em.  If  that 


HERMIT  LIFE  IN  THE  WOODS       53 

big  feller's  ol'  Ethan,  which  I  don't  say  he 
is  or  hain't,  it  would  n't  be  pleasant  for  him 
tu  hev  you  reco'nize  him,  and  kerry  him  off 
tu  Albany." 

"  D —  -  him,  we  're  not  hunting  outlaws, 
but  only  peaceably  surveying !  "  said  the 
surveyor. 

"  Sart'inly,  but  a  hundred  paound  would 
come  handy  tu  most  anybody,"  Ken  elm  an 
swered.  "An'  what  they  want,  an'  what 
we  want,  is  for  you  an'  your  peaceable  crew 
tu  git  aout  o'  these  woods  —  an'  that  al 
mighty  sudden,  tew !  "  he  added,  with  star 
tling  emphasis.  "  Come,  be  makin'  tracks, 
quick !  and  fur  apart ! "  and  he  made  a 
menacing  movement. 

The  surveyor,  with  his  attendants,  got 
speedily  out  of  doors,  and  made  toward  the 
boats,  their  huddled  rank  flanked  and  closely 
foUowed  by  the  Indians,  yelling  and  threat 
ening,  while  Keiielm  and  Josiah  could 

O  ? 

scarcely  restrain  from  roughly  handling  the 
chopf alien  Yorkers. 

The  boats  were  shoved  off,  and  they  were 
hustled  into  them,  when  Kenelm  warned 
them  to  depart  and  return  no  more,  under 


54  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

pain  of  chastisement  with  the  twigs  of  the 
wilderness,  all  of  which  was  emphasized  by 
whoops  and  screeches  of  the  Indians  and 
discharge  of  guns,  the  bullets  whistling 
threateningly  over  the  heads  of  the  retreat 
ing  enemy. 

After  watching  them  out  of  sight  behind 
the  first  headland  in  the  direction  of  the 
Forts,  the  allies  returned  to  the  cabin. 
Here  they  celebrated  their  bloodless  victory 
in  libations  of  fiery  ague  cure,  a  great  spoon 
ful  to  each,  exhausting  the  stock  to  the  red 
dregs,  which  were  eked  out  to  a  milder  pota 
tion  by  a  replenishment  of  water,  and  the 
Waubanakees  departed  after  renewed  vows 
of  eternal  friendship. 


CHAPTER  IV 
VISITORS 

IT  chanced  on  the  next  day,  what  they 
accounted  a  great  piece  of  good  luck  came 
to  the  pioneers.  They  were  out  upon  the 
bay  to  see  if  their  late  visitors  were  linger 
ing  about  the  shores,  when  their  eyes  were 
attracted  to  a  strange  object,  adrift  on  the 
waters  that  were  roughened  by  a  stiff  north 
west  wind. 

"  It 's  an  almighty  big  turkle  !  "  Kenelm 
declared,  as  something  very  like  a  rounded 
back  wallowed  in  a  trough. 

"  It  looks  more  like  a  buoy  that 's  gone 
adrift,  for  it  shows  red  paint,"  Josiah  said, 
as  the  object  was  tossed  on  the  crest  of  a 
wave,  "  only  it  don't  ride  high  enough." 

"  Wai,  you  've  got  it  nigher  'n  I  did," 
the  other  said  after  close  inspection,  "for 
it 's  a  cask,  sure  as  you  live.  Lord  send  it 
is  some  sort  o'  sperits,  for  the  Injuns  hes 
drained  us  as  dry  as  a  paowder  horn." 


6G  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

The  wish  was  granted,  for  liquor  it  was, 
and  when  they  had  taken  it  ashore  and 
tested  it,  it  proved  to  be  a  ten-gallon  keg 
of  brandy,  perhaps  a  part  of  the  stores  or 
cargo  of  some  French  craft  sunk  off  Le 
liocher  Fendu,  and  just  now  set  afloat  again 
by  the  breaking  up  of  the  wreck.  At  any 
rate  it  was  of  fine  quality,  ripe  and  mellow 
with  age. 

"  That 's  good  enough  for  the  Command 
ant  of  Carrillon,"  said  Josiah. 

"  Too  good  for  Montcalm,"  Kenelm  Dal- 
rymple  swore,  for  he  had  memories  of  Fort 
William  Henry. 

They  made  a  secret  hiding-place  for  their 
treasure  in  a  hollow  stump,  for  it  was  too 
precious  liquor  to  be  guzzled  by  their  ever- 
thirsty  Waubanakee  friends. 

Not  many  days  later  Josiah  was  fashion 
ing  a  huge  mortar  out  of  an  oak  stump  close 
by  the  end  of  the  house  by  alternate  burn 
ing  and  gouging.  This  was  for  a  plumping 
mill,  that,  when  complete,  consisted  of  the 
mortar,  a  heavy  pestle  slung  at  the  end  of  a 
spring  pole,  the  butt  of  which  was  fastened 
in  the  logs  of  the  house,  and  all  with  a  view 


VISITORS  57 

to  the  coming  corn  crop.  As  he  chipped 
away  the  wood  or  rekindled  the  fire  and  wet 
the  edge  of  the  slowly  shaping  mortar  to 
keep  it  from  burning,  his  ear  caught  the 
sound  of  footsteps  of  some  large  quadruped 
approaching  along  the  footpath  which  ran 
inland  to  meet  the  thoroughfare  that  linked 
the  scattered  settlements  together  from  Ben- 
nington  to  the  Winooski.  He  wondered  what 
visitor  could  now  be  coining,  for  he  knew  no 
deer  or  moose  would  approach  so  unhesita 
tingly,  nor  Broad  and  Bright,  browsing  the 
undergrowth  and  cropping  the  scant  woods 
herbage,  advance  so  regularly  and  rapidly. 

He  wondered  no  less  when  he  saw  a 
horseman  emerge  from  the  woods,  a  man  of 
gigantic  stature,  whose  figure  and  carriage 
at  once  struck  him  as  familiar.  But  when 
the  traveler  called  out,  — 

"  Ho  !  thou  dweller  in  the  wilderness,  hast 
thou  no  welcome  for  the  stranger  within  thy 
gates?"  the  voice  and  the  quaint  phrase 
ology  left  him  no  longer  in  doubt,  and  he 
hastened  forward  to  give  him  greeting. 

"  Why,  if  it  hain't  Colonel  Ethan  Allen, 
for  all  of  this  livin'  world.  An'  haow  be  ye, 


68  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

sir  ?  By  the  Lord  Harry,  if  I  hain't  glad 
tu  see  ye,  and  so  '11  my  pardner  be.  He 's 
aout  on  the  creek  fishin'  for  aour  dinner! 
"Light  an'  come  in,  whilst  I  ta'  keer  o'  your 
hoss." 

Kenelm  had  an  inborn  and  cultivated  dis 
taste  for  everything  that  bore  the  name  of 
work,  yet,  in  the  free  life  of  a  hunter,  trap 
per,  and  fisher,  would  endure  far  more 
exposure,  privation,  and  greater  strain  of 
muscle,  and  never  complain,  than  any  regu 
lar  employment  entailed.  A  hail  brought 
him  in  from  his  steady  trolling  up  and 
down  the  channel,  bringing  with  him  the 
result  of  his  two  hours'  fishing:  —  a  great, 

O  O 

wide-backed,  thick-fleshed  pike. 

"Why,  the  Lord  bless  us,  if  it  hain't 
Colonel  Allen,  an'  you  du  us  praoud  if  it 
hain't  gittin'  lost  brings  you  here,  an'  if 
you  be  lost,  why,  it 's  aour  good  luck,"  he 
cried,  as  he  recognized  the  distinguished 
visitor,  and  inwardly  thanked  fortune  for 
the  means  of  entertainment  which  the  lake 
had  so  timely  provided. 

In  those  days,  not  to  have  liquor  in  the 
house  for  the  entertainment  of  a  guest  was 


VISITORS  59 

thought  to  be  more  disgraceful  than  to  be 
without  bread,  and  the  hosts  were  truly 
grateful  that  they  had  this  to  offer  their 
visitor,  who,  having  tasted  it,  needed  no 
pressing. 

"  Heaven  be  praised  for  preserving  such 
good  liquor  from  unworthy  lips  and  undue 
dilution  with  water,  and  sending  it  for  the 
refreshment  of  honest  men,"  he  fervently 
said,  as  he  smacked  his  lips  over  a  second 
glass.  "I  shall  be  tempted  to  tarry  long 
where  the  waters  bring  such  bountiful  fare 
to  your  door.  I  doubt  if  the  ravens  fur 
nished  Elijah  such  fish  and  such  fine  liquor." 

"  You  V  more  'n  welcome  to  'bide  as  long 
as  you  please,  colonel,"  said  Kenelm.  "  But 
what  beats  me  is  haow  ye  come  tu  find  us 
if  ye  wanted  tu,  or  why  ye  wanted  tu." 

"  I  want  to  know  every  true  man  in  the 
Grants,  and  see  a  way  provided  for  his  pro 
tection  against  the  Yorkers.  It  is  a  wonder 
they  have  let  you  alone  so  long." 

"  Oh,  but  we  've  hed  'em !  "  said  Kenelm, 
and  he  and  Josiah  told  of  their  late  encoun 
ter,  to  Allen's  great  delight,  especially  as  to 
the  Indians  being  palmed  off  on  the  sur- 


60  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

veyor's  party  as  Green  Mountain  Boys.  He 
instructed  them  to  notify  Pangborn  if  they 
were  again  molested,  and  assured  them  of 
protection,  and  that  they  must  be  ready  to 
give  like  aid  to  others.  But  he  told  Josiah 
that  he  doubted  whether  his  title  was  good, 
for  he  believed  Capron  to  be  a  knave. 

"  However,  I  've  a  pretty  good  under 
standing  with  the  old  Quaker  surveyor, 
Benjamin  Ferris,  and  I  think  he  can  make 
things  easy  for  you  with  Delaplaine,  for  he 
is  a  Quaker,  too,  and  they  stick  together 
like  —  well  —  like  Green  Mountain  Boys." 

He  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day  with 
them,  and  helped  make  half  the  night  jovial, 
at  which  he  was  an  exceedingly  good  hand, 
having  no  end  of  stories  to  tell  and  great 
capacity  for  strong  drink.  When  he  left 
them  next  morning,  his  fast  friends  for  life, 
his  head  was  the  clearest  of  the  three,  though 
the  one  glass  that  furnished  the  board  had 
gone  fullest  and  oftenest  to  his  lips. 

It  was  a  hot,  hazy  August  day ;  the  sun 
was  a  fiery,  rayless  ball  in  the  brassy  sky ; 
some  ripened  water-maples  in  the  marsh 
were  blazing  like  steadfast  flames  in  the 


VISITORS  61 

still  air.  A  gray  heron  sagged  on  slow 
pinions  in  briefest  flight  to  a  more  promis 
ing  shallow  where  the  minnows  snapped 
lazily  at  flies  resting  on  the  rims  of  lily  pads 
or  darted  away  in  sudden  fright  as  an  evil- 
looking  gar  pike  swam  into  their  retreat.  A 
pike  broke  the  glassy  surface  of  the  channel 
with  a  slow  swirl  of  miniature  whirlpools,  bor 
ing  the  water  in  the  widening  arch  of  wave 
lets  that  subsided  in  the  rustling  sedges,  and 
shook  the  blue  spikes  of  pickerel  weed.  A 
brood  of  well-grown,  full-fledged  wood  ducks 
flashed  past,  exultant  in  the  new  power  of 
flight,  racing  with  their  quivering  reflec 
tions.  High  above  the  cedar-crested  cliff  an 
eagle  soared  on  noiseless  wings,  surveying 
his  silent  realm  of  wood  and  waters. 

In  the  midst  of  the  hot  stagnation  of  air, 
Kenelm  and  Josiah  moved  languidly  on  the 
shorn  marsh,  gathering  the  rustling  cocks 
of  wild  hay  into  stilted  stacks  that  looked 
like  exaggerations  of  the  muskrat  houses 
which  were  already  built  along  the  outer 
border  of  the  marsh.  Far  up  the  creek 
there  was  an  approaching  clank  and  splash 
of  oars,  and  presently  a  scow  appeared, 


62  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

manned  by  a  full  crew,  two  of  whom  were 
in  the  garb  of  Quakers,  and  one  was  at  once 
recognized  as  their  old  chance  acquaintance, 
the  surveyor,  the  other  a  stranger  of  portly 
figure  and  benign  countenance.  When  they 
met  he  was  introduced  as  Nicholas  Dela- 
plaine.  They  were  shown  the  canal-like 
approach  to  the  shore  and  landing,  and  all 
went  up  to  the  house. 

"  I  'd  like  to  see  thy  deed,"  Delaplaine 
said  to  Josiah,  who  was  growing  sick  at 
heart  with  a  presentiment  of  trouble.  "  I  'm 
afeard  thee  's  been  played  a  scurvy  trick, 
for  I  never  sold  this  to  any  one."  Then  he 
carefully  examined  the  deed  and  pronounced 
it  a  fraud,  as  he  could  easily  prove.  "  Thee 's 
got  about  five  acres  cleared,  and  a  good 
house  and  fine  crops  growing.  It 's  too 
bad,  but  I  don't  want  to  be  hard  on  thee 
for  what  isn't  thy  fault,  except  in  lack  of 
caution." 

After  some  consideration  he  continued : 
"  I  'm  going  to  propose  to  thee  to  give  thee 
fifty  pounds  for  what  thee  has  done,  or  thee 
may  give  me  fifty  and  keep  the  place,  I 
giving  thee  a  warrantee  deed  of  it." 


VISITORS  63 

"  That 's  fair,  an'  I  'm  obleeged  tu  ye, 
Mr.  Delaplaine,"  said  Josiali ;  "  but  I  want 
you  tu  wait  on  me  a  month  afore  I  give 
you  an  answer.  I  want  time  to  go  tu  Con 
necticut  an'  back  afore  I  can  tell  which  I  '11 
do." 

"  That  thee  may  have  and  welcome,  or 
longer  if  thee  wishes,"  said  Nicholas. 

Dinner  was  got  for  the  party,  after  which 
they  returned  to  the  falls,  Josiah  going  with 
them,  after  making  hasty  preparation  for 
his  long  journey.  Long  and  weary  it  was, 
with  a  bitter  reward,  for  his  faithless  sweet 
heart  was  married  and  gone,  so  that  he  had 
not  even  the  poor  satisfaction  of  upbraiding 
her  for  breaking  her  troth. 

One  September  evening  near  the  expira 
tion  of  the  month  he  made  his  appearance 
at  the  cabin,  travel- worn  and  heartsick,  all 
his  hopes  shattered,  leaving  him  with  no 
desire  to  keep  his  pitch. 

"  I  thought  she  was  sparked  tu  stay," 
he  said  wearily,  throwing  himself  upon  the 
blankets,  "  but  she  jilted  me,  and  of  ah1  the 
men  in  the  world,  you  can't  guess  for  who  I  " 

"  No,"  said  Kenelm. 


64  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  For  that  d—  —  scoundrel  Capron !  "  said 
Josiah.  "  Let  the  pitch  go  ;  I  don't  care 
for  it  no  more.  Women  is  just  as  you  said 
they  was,  Kenelm.  The  devil  take  'ein  all 
but  my  mother !  " 


CHAPTER  V 

TICONDEROGA 

JOSIAH  disposed  of  his  betterments  to 
Delaplaine  on  the  terms  proposed,  and  sold 
his  oxen  and  all  his  belongings  but  gun  and 
traps.  The  two  pioneers  drifted  out  into 
the  wilderness,  homeless,  yet  at  home  wher 
ever  they  chanced  to  be,  now  hunters  and 
trappers,  now  attaching  themselves  to  the 
Green  Mountain  Boys  in  their  raids  on  the 
Yorkers  and  resistance  to  their  encroach 
ments,  the  most  daring  and  reckless  of  their 
number,  though  without  the  cause  and  object 
of  the  permanent  settlers,  but  through  the 
love  of  adventure.  Now  drifting  apart  they 
lost  sight  of  each  other  for  months  at  a 
time. 

Josiah  was  still  tarrying,  toward  the  mid 
dle  of  spring,  at  a  settler's  some  miles  above 
the  lower  falls  of  Great  Otter,  after  spend 
ing  the  winter  between  working  enough  to 


66  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

pay  his  board  and  trapping  on  his  own  ac 
count.  He  was  hesitating  between  hiring 
out  to  the  settler  for  the  season  and  going 
down  to  the  old  colonies  to  take  part  in 
the  events  which  were  stirring  the  forming 
nation  from  its  heart  to  its  remotest  extrem 
ities.  It  was  not  exalted  patriotism  that 
urged  him  to  this,  but  what  is  so  often  mis 
taken  for  it,  a  desire  for  action  and  love 
for  adventure,  that  the  monotony  of  tilling 
virgin  soil  and  every-day  warfare  with  the 
giants  of  the  forest  could  not  satisfy. 

He  was  impelled  to  leave  the  place  by 
another  and  quite  different  motive.  Charity 
Benham,  the  only  daughter  of  the  house  of 
marriageable  age,  was  impressed  with  the 
belief  that  her  father  ought  to  have  a  son- 
in-law,  and  to  her  mind  there  was  no  one 
whom  she  had  seen  who  was  so  well  fitted 
to  fill  the  place  as  this  sturdy  young  pioneer, 
but  he  seemed  little  inclined  to  mating. 
Yet  Charity  was  tall,  dark-eyed,  dark-haired, 
good-tempered,  and  in  all  respects,  save  in 
being  a  notable  housewife,  so  exactly  the 
opposite  to  faithless  Chloe  that  Josiah's 
pulses  quickened  when  she  cooed  around 


TICONDEROGA  67 

him,  and  warned  him  that  he  might  forget 
his  forswearing  of  all  womankind. 

If  he  resisted  her  blandishments,  which 
it  was  plain  to  see  her  father  and  mother 
favored,  it  would  be  very  embarrassing,  and 
could  only  end  in  incurring  the  ill  will  of 
all.  He  was  tired  of  wandering,  and  longed 
to  rest  a  while  in  this  comfortable  harbor. 
Thus  he  was  inwardly  debating  near  noon 
one  day  in  May  as  he  cut  firewood  at  the 
door ;  and  John  Benham  and  his  son,  Sam, 
just  come  in  from  the  field,  sat  on  a  log  idly 
watching  his  sturdy  strokes,  while  all  waited 
the  serving  of  dinner.  An  appetizing  smell 
of  boiled  pork  and  greens  came  out  of  the 
open  door,  wherein  Charity  presently  ap 
peared  and  bade  them  to  the  board. 

"  An'  I  got  tu  tell  ye,  Mr.  Hill,"  she  said, 
casting  an  admiring  glance  upon  Josiah, 
"you  be  the  cutest  hand  to  gather  caow- 
slops !  Why,  the'  wa'n't  nothin'  but  clear 
leaves,  an'  't  wa'n't  nothin'  tu  pick  'em 
over ! " 

"That's  the  sort  o'  man  for  ye  tu  git, 
Cherry ! "  cried  her  father,  bestowing  an 
impartial  wink  upon  the  two,  under  which 


68  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

they  blushed  hotly.  "  You  want  tu  jest 
freeze  tu  him,  gal !  " 

"  Why,  Pop,  hain't  you  'shamed  !  Who 
on  airth  "-  -  She  suddenly  checked  her  sim 
pering  to  stare  out  upon  the  road,  whither 
the  eyes  of  the  others  followed  hers,  and 
saw  a  strong,  lithe  man  approaching  at  a 
brisk  swinging  pace. 

"  Why,  it  is  Major  Beach,  from  Eutland 
way ! "  Benham  exclaimed,  going  out  to 
meet  the  traveler.  "Haow  be  ye,  major? 
You're  jest  in  time  for  pot  luck  with  us. 
Come  right  in." 

"  Not  much  time  for  me  to  eat  or  talk," 
said  the  other.  Then  lowering  his  voice, 
"  Who  is  the  tall  chap  you  've  got  here  ? 
All  right?" 

"  Josier  Hill,  ol'  Dalrymple's  pardner. 
Yes,  he 's  true  blue.  What 's  up  ?  Yorkers 
cuttin'  up  ag'in?" 

"  No  ;  it 's  r'yal  game  this  time.  Nothin' 
less  'n  the  British  lion  in  ol'  Ti'.  Ethan 
Allen  takes  the  job.  We  meet  tu  the  cove 
a  mild  north  o'  Ti',  to-morrow  arternoon." 

John  Benham's  face  grew  very  sober  as 
he  repeated  the  words,  as  if  scarcely  sure  he 


TICONDEROGA  69 

heard  aright.  "  Take  Ti'  !  To-morrer  night  ? 
That 's  mighty  suddent,  an'  a  ticklish  job  !  " 

"  Why,  I  thought  you  was  ready  at  a 
minute's  notice  !  They  've  got  you  on  the 
roll  here,"  said  Beach,  running  over  a  paper 
which  he  took  from  the  pocket  of  the  coat 
that  hung  on  his  arm.  "  But  if  you  don't 
want  to  resk  it,  you  'd  better  stay  tu  hum  wi' 
the  women  folks,"  he  added  with  some  scorn. 
Then  turning  to  Josiah,  from  whom  he  had 
taken  no  pains  to  keep  the  secret  after  Ben- 
ham's  assurance,  "  How  is  it  with  you,  my 
man  ?  Are  you  ready  for  a  whack  at  ol'  Ti' 
under  Ethan  Allen,  along  wi'  over  tew 
hundred  good  men  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  be,  an'  '11  start  wi'  you  naow," 
Josiah  answered  promptly. 

"  Why,  sartinly,  I  caTlate  tu  go,"  Benham 
said  in  confusion,  "  but  it  come  kinder  sud 
dent.  Sartinly  I  '11  go,  an'  so  '11  Sam." 

"  All  right,"  cried  Beach  heartily.  "  An' 
naow  gi'  me  that  dinner  quick,  for  I  've  got 
to  pull  foot  lively." 

He  swallowed  his  dinner  so  hastily  that 
there  was  little  news  to  be  got  out  of  him, 
and  then  was  away  again,  to  the  disgust  of 


70  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

the  mother  and  Charity,  who  thought  him 
a  most  unsocial  guest,  not  worth  entertaining 
for  what  he  gave  in  return.  But  to  make 
sixty  miles  on  foot  that  day  left  little  time 
for  talking. 

O 

A  grand  wolf  hunt,  a  "surround"  of  a  pack 
which  had  just  been  located,  was  the  pretext 
given  to  the  women  for  this  grand  turnout 
of  armed  men,  and  the  good  souls  cheerfully 
spent  the  afternoon  in  cooking  for  the  hunters. 

Next  morning  these  men  set  forth,  Ben- 
ham  and  his  son  armed  with  their  lone: 

& 

smoothbores,  those  handy  guns  which  served 
equally  well  as  fowling  pieces  or  weapons  of 
war;  and  Josiah  with  his  favorite  rifle, 
which  he  held  to  be  the  only  proper  arm  for 
a  man,  and  each  carrying  a  blanket  and  two 
days'  rations.  Charity  needs  must  have  a 
tearful  parting  with  Josiah,  from  which  he 
withdrew  with  unlover-like  haste,  and  was 
out  upon  the  road  before  his  companions. 

"If  ever  you  git  him,  you  '11  hafter  du  all 
the  sparkin',"  said  Hannah  Benham,  "  for 
he 's  the  chicken-heartedest  grown-up  man 
ever  I  see." 

"  He  hain't  nuther !  "  Charity  cried  resent- 


TICONDEROGA  71 

fully.  "  He 's  as  brave  as  a  lion,  an'  I  know 
the  ugly  creetur's  '11  kill  him  as  likely  as  not. 
Oh,  dear !  "  and  she  gazed  long  after  his 
tall  figure,  blurred  and  misty  through  tear- 
dimmed  eyes. 

The  three  volunteers  trudged  on  at  a  brisk 
pace  over  the  wretched  roads,  until  they 
came  to  the  better  thoroughfare  of  Amherst's 
military  road,  from  Number  Four  to  the 
Champlain  forts.  Now  and  then  they  fell 
in  with  other  armed  men,  singly  and  in 
squads,  all  bent  on  the  same  errand. 

"  Hello  !  "  hailed  one.  "  You  goin'  wolf- 
huntin'  tew  ?  Wai,  they  du  say  it 's  a  lion 
arter  all,  an'  like  'nough  tu  scratch  an'  bite 
if  his  tail  is  trod  on." 

A  little  past  noon  the  company,  gathering 
as  it  advanced,  came  to  a  famous  camping- 
ground  where  a  cool,  clear  spring  bubbled 
out  by  the  roadside  and  trickled  through  a 
cleared  space.  Here  they  halted  for  rest 
and  refreshment,  where  many  a  company  of 
rangers  and  redcoats  and  bands  of  painted 
Indians  had  made  camp  in  the  days  of  the 
old  wars  and  savage  forays,  and  left  traces 
of  their  brief  tarrying. 


72  A  DANVIS  PIOXEER 

Then  resuming  their  straggling  march, 
they  soon  crossed  the  slow,  muddy  course  of 
the  oddly  named  Lemon  Fair.  Once  they 
were  challenged  by  a  guard,  posted  on  the 
thoroughfare  to  prevent  tidings  of  the  un 
usual  movement  being  carried  to  the  Forts. 
Toward  nightfall  they  came  to  the  rendez 
vous  on  the  bank  of  a  small  creek.  As  they 
drew  near  they  saw  groups  of  men  lounging 
in  the  lights  of  newly  kindled  camp-fires. 
Moving  about  among  them,  now  dusky  in 
shadow,  now  clearly  revealed,  the  herculean 
figure  of  Ethan  Allen  ;  the  no  less  command 
ing  one  of  Seth  Warner,  and  another  rest 
lessly  alert,  clad  in  a  colonel's  full  uniform, 
which  they  afterward  learned  to  be  the  brave, 
ambitious,  unscrupulous  and,  later,  infamous 
Benedict  Arnold. 

The  fires  shone  out  among  the  tree  trunks 
upon  the  prows  of  a  mixed  flotilla  of  small 
craft  drawn  up  on  the  shore  or  now  and  then 
on  an  incoming  boat.  Allen  came  out  to 
meet  the  party,  and  discovering  them  to 
be  his  own  people,  gave  them  most  cordial 
welcome. 

"  Ah,  more  of  the  chosen  ones  of  Israel 


TICONDEROGA  73 

come  up  to  fight  the  battles  of  Jehovah,  and 
smite  his  enemies  hip  and  thigh  !  "  Then 
recognizing  Josiah,  "  And  you,  tall  son  of 
Anak,  have  you  come  up  so  far  out  of  the 
wilderness  to  do  battle  ?  Well  done,  and 
better  if  you  thought  to  bring  a  vessel  of 
those  strong  waters  of  Gaul,"  he  added, 
smacking  his  lips  at  recollection  of  the  flot 
sam  brandy.  "  And  your  old  dried-up  com 
rade  —  which  way  has  the  wind  blown  him  ?  " 

"I'm  sorry,  colonel,"  Josiah  answered, 
shaking  his  hand,  "him  an'  the  brandy 
hain't  nary  one  on  'em  here  where  they  're 
both  needed.  But  ol'  Kenelm  would  be,  if 
he  knowed." 

"  Well,  come  in  to  the  fires  and  rest  ye. 
You  've  got  your  grub  with  you,  of  course, 
an'  maybe  we  can  scare  up  an  underjawful 
of  honest  New  England  rum,  and  that  is 
better  than  lake  water."  With  that  he  led 
them  to  a  fire,  in  whose  cheerful  glow  they 
stretched  themselves. 

On  the  eve  of  embarkation,  the  Green 
Mountain  Boys  were  moved  to  an  angry 
protest,  from  commander  to  the  humblest 
private,  against  Arnold's  attempt  to  assume 


74  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

command  of  the  whole  force,  by  virtue  of 
his  commission  from  the  Massachusetts  Com 
mittee  of  Safety.  When  this  claim  was  dis 
posed  of,  half  the  troops,  the  boats  being 
too  few  to  transport  more,  were  embarked 
and  went  forth  silently  into  the  darkness. 
Arriving  on  the  western  shore  without  mis 
hap,  they  restlessly  awaited  the  coming  of 
the  other  half  of  the  force.  Their  impa 
tience  grew  with  every  moment  when  the 
eastern  rim  of  the  sky  began  to  pale  with 
the  first  light  of  dawn,  and  still  no  plash  of 
oars  broke  the  silence  of  the  quiet  waters. 

Allen  fretted  and  fumed,  until  at  last  he 
ordered  the  troops  to  fall  in,  in  three  ranks, 
and  briefly  set  forth  the  danger  of  the  com 
plete  failure  of  the  enterprise  if  they  waited 
longer  to  be  joined  by  their  comrades,  and 
proposed  that  they  should  move  forward  at 
once.  No  one  who  disapproved  was  asked 
to  go ;  those  who  followed  him  would  poise 
their  firelocks.  Every  rifle,  musket,  and 
smoothbore  was  slanted  across  its  owner's 
breast,  and  the  order  to  march  was  about  to 
be  given,  when  Arnold  again  made  a  violent 
assertion  of  his  right  to  command.  At  the 


TICONDEROGA  75 

suggestion  by  one  of  Allen's  captains  that 
the  two  should  enter  the  fort  together,  the 
dispute  was  settled,  when  another  brief  inter 
ruption  occurred.  Some  one  discovered  a 
dimly  denned  object  approaching  upon  the 
lake,  which  from  the  morning  mists  presently 
took  the  form  of  a  tiny  canoe  occupied  by 
a  solitary  figure. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  The  challenge  was 
given  in  a  guarded  voice,  and  the  answer 
came  back  as  guardedly. 

"  A  friend  wi'aout  the  caountersign  ;  but 
maybe  some  on  ye  knows  Ken  elm  Dal- 
rymple  ! '  A  subdued  murmur  of  applause 
arose  from  the  column. 

The  old  man  ran  the  tiny  craft  upon  the 
beach,  explaining  as  he  stepped  ashore,  "  I 
jest  got  back  from  'mongst  the  hills  a-pickin' 
up  my  traps,  an'  never  heard  o'  this  job  till 
noon  yist-d'y.  I  would  n't  ha'  missed  it  for 
a  fortin."  As  he  took  a  place  in  the  ranks, 
and  the  column  began  to  move,  he  continued 
his  confidences  in  a  whisper  to  the  man  be 
side  him.  "  That  'ere  milkweed  pod  won't 
kerry  but  one,  so  I  jest  put  aout  alone,  an' 
here  I  be.  The  boats  had  n't  but  jest  got 


76  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

there  when  I  started,  an'  the  men  was  fairly 
Viliii'  for  fear  o'  not  gittin'  acrost  in  time. 
That  canew  's  one  I  had  hid  tu  the  head  o' 
the  cove  sen'  last  fall's  trappin',  an'  it  come 
mighty  handy,  for  I  would  n't  'a'  missed 
hevin'  a  finger  in  this  pie  for  a  gov'nor's 
right  o'  land.  This  is  the  third  time  I  've 
been  ag'in'  Ticonderoga ;  the  first  when 
Aunt  Nabby  Crumby  run  his  pudden-head 
ag'in'  it,  an'  a  terrible  mess  he  made  on  't. 
Then  when  Amherst  come  sweepin'  the 
French  back  intu  Canerdy  an'  they  blowed 
ap  Carrillon  afore  aour  face  an'  eyes.  Lord ! 
It  jest  rained  forts  for  five  minutes !  An* 
not  a  scaout  da'st  go  anigh  for  an  haour  ! 
An'  naow  here  I  be  ag'in,  an'  it 's  a-hopesin' 
we  '11  make  a  tidier  job  on  't." 

The  garrulous  old  ranger  ceased  his 
whispered  reminiscences  when  the  bastions 
of  the  fortress  arose  gray  and  silent  l>efore 
them  in  the  faint  light  of  dawn.  Then  there 
was  the  click  of  a  musket  lock  missing  fire, 
a  swift  advance  of  the  column  through  the 
narrow  wicket,  until  the  last  man  was  inside 
the  walls.  The  troops,  forming  in  two  ranks 
on  the  parade,  gave  a  lusty  cheer,  which 


TICONDEROGA  77 

the  barrack  wall  bandied  back  and  forth  in 
quick  reverberation  that  brought  the  sud 
denly  awakened  British  soldiers  staring  out 
of  the  windows. 

The  peremptory  summons  to  surrender 
quickly  followed,  and  Ticonderoga,  its  garri 
son  and  invaluable  stores,  passed  bloodlessly 
into  the  possession  of  the  Americans.  Jo- 
siah  Hill  remained  there  for  a  time,  a  mem 
ber  of  its  insubordinate  garrison,  until  upon 
the  organization  of  the  regiment  of  Green 
Mountain  Boys  he  enlisted  under  Warner, 
and  went  to  Canada.  Thus  he  escaped  the 
danger  of  falling  a  victim  to  the  wiles  of 
Charity  Benham. 


CHAPTER  VI 

LA   CANADIENNE 

WHEN  Ethan  Allen  was  dispatched  on 
his  mission  of  "preaching  politics"  to  the 
Canadians,  Josiah  was  detailed  as  one  of 
his  guards,  and  so  chanced  to  be  with  him 
in  the  unfortunate  attempt  to  capture  Mon 
treal.  Major  Brown  failing  unaccountably 
to  cooperate  with  Allen,  the  latter  was  forced 
to  surrender,  but  Josiah  managed  to  slip 
away  and  secrete  himself  in  a  dry  ditch, 
from  which  he  saw  Allen,  attacked  by  a 
gigantic  Indian,  seize  a  British  officer  by 
the  shoulders  and  swing  him  around  as  a 
shield  between  himself  and  his  assailant  un 
til  the  latter  was  compelled  to  desist. 

At  nightfall  Josiah  made  his  way  to  the 
south  shore  and  searched  for  a  boat.  Turn 
ing  a  shoulder  of  the  shore,  he  came  upon 
two  Indians  engaged  in  baling  a  canoe ; 
their  guns  leaned  against  a  tree  at  a  little 


LA  CANADIENNE  79 

distance  behind  them.  He  got  between 
them  and  their  arms ;  and  then,  with  his 
rifle  cocked  and  aimed  at  them,  demanded 
their  surrender.  There  was  nothing  for  them 
but  to  submit,  which  they  did  very  sullenly. 
He  placed  the  guns  in  the  boat  and  set 
forth,  making  with  all  speed  to  a  light  on  the 
other  shore.  The  Indians  ran  yelling  along 
the  shore  in  quest  of  another  boat  to  pursue 
him,  but  he  had  no  further  trouble  from 
them ;  and  making  the  passage  safely,  after 
dropping  the  captured  guns  in  midstream, 
he  continued  his  retreat  until  daylight,  mak 
ing  frequent  detours  from  the  bank  of  the 
Kichelieu,  which  was  his  guide,  to  avoid 
houses,  forts,  and  small  detachments  of  troops 
which  he  now  and  then  fell  in  with. 

At  dawn  he  secreted  himself  in  the  woods, 
where  he  lay  all  day,  suffering  hunger,  thirst, 
and  weariness,  and  frequent  chance  of  dis 
covery.  At  nightfall  he  ventured  forth, 
and  coming  to  a  house  made  a  reconnoissance 
through  the  window.  There  was  no  one  in 
the  room  but  a  woman  and  a  girl ;  the  table 
was  set  for  supper,  with  a  brown  loaf,  a 
piece  of  pork,  and  a  bottle  of  whiskey  en 


80  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

esprit ;  so,  going  to  the  door,  he  entered 
without  ceremony,  seized  the  eatables  and 
the  bottle  and  made  off,  while  the  frightened 
inmates  shrunk  into  a  corner,  crossing  them 
selves  and  calling  on  all  the  saints  to  protect 
them,  and  then  uttering  shrieks  of  alarm, 
which  presently  brought  half  a  dozen  jab 
bering  habitants  upon  the  scene  and  into 
speedy  search  for  the  bold  Bostonais.  For 
tunately  for  him,  they  hunted  in  a  pack, 
and  kept  up  such  a  continual  jabber  that 
he  easily  eluded  them.  When  at  a  safe 
distance  he  sat  down  and  made  a  hearty 
meal,  and  then,  refreshed  by  a  draft  of  fiery 
liquor,  he  continued  his  perilous  journey 
until  daybreak,  then  lay  by  again  till  night. 
Once,  as  he  lay  at  dusk  in  a  grainfield, 
one  of  a  searching  party  actually  stumbled 
over  him,  but  before  he  could  make  an  out 
cry  Josiah  was  upon  him,  gagged  and  bound 
him,  and  wormed  his  way  out  of  the  field 
without  discovery.  Another  time  when  he 
was  reconnoitring  a  house  in  hope  of  get 
ting  food,  he  succeeded  in  getting  the  capote 
of  the  owner,  which  afforded  him  so  good 
disguise  that  he  joined  a  searching  party  on 


LA  CANADIENNE  81 

his  own  pursuit,  and  got  well  on  his  way 
during  the  day. 

"  The  holy  Bostonais  is  more  cunning 
than  a  fox,"  said  one  of  his  pursuers  with 
whom  he  came  face  to  face.  Josiah's  bad 
French  betrayed  him,  and  as  the  habitant 
hissed  out  a  long-drawn  "  ah  !  "  and  opened 
his  mouth  to  give  the  alarm,  Josiah's  gun 
barrel  crashed  down  upon  his  skull.  Safety 
demanded  that  he  should  be  given  his  quietus, 
but  the  Yankee's  heart  was  too  tender  yet 
for  such  outright  murder,  and  he  contented 
himself  with  taking  his  tobacco,  pipe,  and 
steel,  which  he  was  greatly  in  need  of,  and 
then,  gagging  his  adversary,  left  him  to 
recover  his  wits  at  leisure. 

At  last  he  came  to  where  the  Richelieu 
draws  the  waters  of  Champlain  to  its  chan 
nel,  and  here  he  began  searching  for  a  craft 
of  some  sort.  He  found  a  pirogue  drawn 
up  on  the  shore,  and  was  groping  in  and 
about  it  for  a  paddle,  preparatory  to  launch 
ing  it,  and  already  was  exulting  in  an  easy 
escape  by  the  open  way  of  the  lake,  when 
his  blood  was  turned  to  ice  by  a  voice  de 
manding  in  English,— 


82  A   DANVIS   PIONEER 

"  Stand  and  surrender !  " 

He  turned  about  and  was  confronted  by 
a  dozen  armed  men,  who  seemed  to  have 
arisen  from  the  earth,  so  silently  and  sud 
denly  had  they  appeared.  He  threw  down 
his  gun  in  vexation  and  despair  at  being 
taken  just  when  deliverance  was  within  his 
reach. 

His  captors  now  gathered  about  him, 
and  he  experienced  as  great  a  revulsion  of 
emotions  when  he  discovered  in  the  dim 
light  that  they  wore  the  green  uniform  of 
Warner's  Rangers. 

Explanations  followed,  and  he  was  filled 
with  disgust  when  he  learned  from  the  scout 
ing  party  that  St.  Johns  had  surrendered, 
and  that  for  all  these  anxious  days  and 
nights  he  had  been  dodging  detachments  of 
Americans  and  posts  that  were  already  in 
their  hands. 

Having  thus  rejoined  his  regiment,  he 
served  with  it  until  the  expiration  of  the 
term  of  enlistment,  when  he  returned  to 
the  new  commonwealth  of  Vermont. 

Again  Josiah  went  to  Canada  upon  the 
urgent  appeal  of  General  Sullivan,  then  in 


LA  CANADIENNE  83 

command  there,  to  Seth  Warner  to  come  to 
his  aid,  but  the  arrival  of  an  overwhelm 
ing  force  from  England  put  an  end  to  all 
offensive  operations  of  the  Americans,  and  a 
general  retreat  was  ordered,  when  it  became 
Warner's  duty  to  cover  the  rear  and  bring 
off  the  sick  and  wounded. 

One  evening  Josiah  and  a  companion  en 
tered  the  house  of  a  habitant,  where  they 
heard  a  soldier  was  lying  sick.  They  found 
him,  a  handsome  young  fellow,  in  the  lan 
guor  of  convalescence,  assiduously  tended 
by  a  pretty  daughter  of  the  house,  with 
something  more  than  sympathy  in  her  black 
eyes,  and  telltale  blushes  that  glowed  in  her 
dusky  cheeks  when  she  was  caught  in  the 
act  of  smoothing  the  flaxen  hair  from  the 
pale  forehead  of  her  patient.  A  motherly 
old  dame  was  laboriously  bending  her  fat 
form  over  the  fireplace,  busy  with  a  kettle 
of  pea  soup,  and  only  turned  her  head  with 
out  straightening  her  body  when  the  stran 
gers  entered. 

"  Good-evelin',  zhonte-mans,"  she  gave 
greeting.  "  Si'  do'n,  si'  do'n,  'f  you  please. 
Mathilde,  gif  de  zhonte-mans  some  chair," 


84  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

and    the    daughter   set  two  splint-bottomed 
chairs  by  the  fireside. 

"  Thank  ye,"  said  Josiah,  moving  toward 
the  pallet  where  the  sick  man  lay,  and  look 
ing  him  over  with  a  scrutinizing  glance. 
"  We  come  tu  git  this  'ere  chap.  Hain't  he 
bothered  ye  'bout  long  'nough  ?  Well,  bub, 
be  you  able  tu  travel  towards  hum  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  guess  so,"  said  the  young  soldier, 
rising  with  alacrity  at  the  name  of  home, 
but  as  he  arose  to  his  feet  he  tottered  and 
sank  back  to  a  sitting  posture.  "  But,"  he 
added,  with  a  faint  smile  on  his  half-scared 
face, "  I  don't  'pear  tu  be  very  stiddy  on  my 
pins  just  yit." 

"  Oh,  we  '11  give  ye  a  lift  on  a  litter  — 
me     an'     Sam,"     said    Josiah     cheerfully. 
"  Sam,  you  go  aout  an'  knock  up  some  sort 
of  a  contraption  —  a  couple  o'  saplin's  wi' 
some  cross-pieces." 

"  Oh,  he  too  seek  for  go,"  the  girl  plead 
anxiously.  "  'F  you  lef  it  'ere,  we  took 
good  care  of  it,  me  an'  mah  mere." 

"  I  hain't  no  daoubt  on  't,"  Josiah  said 
significantly,  as  he  looked  at  her  eager  face, 
"  but  the  Britishers  '11  be  along  ter  rights, 


LA  CANADIENNE  85 

an'  if  they  got  a  holt  on  him,  I  do'  know ; 
hangin'  mebby,  prison  anyhaow,  an'  that 
will  mean  dyin',  the  way  he  is.  No,  he  '11 
haf  tu  try  runnin'." 

"  Yes,  me  guess  so  —  if  dey  goin'  keel 
it,"  the  girl  assented.  "  Oh,  mon  pauvre 
ami !  "  She  gave  the  soldier  a  tender  help 
ing  hand  to  don  his  tattered  coat,  as  ready 
now  to  speed  his  parting  as  she  had  been  to 
delay  it. 

"  You  goin'  heet  some  souper  'fore  you 
gone,"  said  the  mother,  ladling  out  the  soup 
into  bowls  and  setting  them  on  the  table 
with  a  brown  loaf.  "  De  Bostonais  is  al 
ways  ongry,"  she  laughed,  as  Josiah,  with 
out  ceremony,  drew  his  chair  to  the  board. 
"  Oh,  jus'  one  tarn  'go  me  an  Mathilde  was 
make  ready  de  souper  an'  wait  for  mah  hoi' 
mans,  an'  dey  come  in  one  grand  Bostonais 
an'  'ee  took  hoff  de  bread,  de  lard,  an'  de 
boutelle  whiskey  en  esprit.  Whoof !  an' 
way  'ee  go !  Ah  wish  me  haf  de  whiskey  for 
you,  mais  'ee  take  all !  Ah  'ope  it  choke  it, 
me!" 

Josiah  bent  a  guilty  face  over  his  bowl, 
and  knew  now  why  the  room  looked  familiar. 


86  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  Me  goin'  gat  boy  for  he'p  you  carry 
it,"  said  Mathilde,  leaving  the  tiible  and 
slipping  out. 

Presently  Josiah  and  his  comrade  brought 
in  the  rude  litter,  upon  which  the  sick  sol 
dier  took  his  place,  after  a  folded  blanket 
was  spread  on  it.  The  soldiers  laid  their 
guns  beside  the  sick  man  and  set  forth  in 
the  dusk  along  the  highway. 

The  white  fleeced  rapids  rushed  past  them 
like  a  flock  of  frightened  sheep,  with  a  con 
tinuous  musical  clamor,  swelling  and  falling 
with  the  waft  of  night  wind.  When  they 
had  gone  half  a  mile  a  swift  patter  of  moc- 
casined  feet  came  behind  them,  and  they 
were  overtaken  by  a  boy,  of  apparently 
about  sixteen  years,  bearing  a  brown  loaf 
under  his  arm. 

"  Me  come  for  he'p  carry,"  he  panted,  out 
of  breath  with  running,  as  he  came  up  to 
the  litter,  and  looked  anxiously  down  at  the 
face  of  the  occupant,  showing  white  in  the 
fading  twilight. 

"  You  can't  carry  nothing"  Josiah  said 
good-naturedly,  as  he  scanned  the  slight 
figure. 


LA  CANADIENNE  87 

"Yas,  yas!  Me  strong  lak  leetly 
bosses,"  said  the  boy  eagerly,  and  persisted 
in  taking  the  tall  man's  place,  and  bearing 
his  burden  manfully  with  an  easy  swing 
over  the  rough  places,  often  asking  their 
charge  if  he  was  tired  or  at  ease,  or  thirsty 
or  hungry  —  always  as  gentle  and  tender 
as  a  woman.  "  Mathilde  send  me,"  he 
explained.  "  He  ma  cousin.  Ma  nem 
Pierre." 

"  Matildy  never  come  anigh  tu  bid  me 
good-by,"  said  the  sick  man,  with  a  peevish 
tone  in  his  voice.  "  It 's  kinder  cur'ous  she 
did  n't,  for  she  's  nussed  me  mighty  keerful. 
I  guess  I'd  ha'  kicked  th'  bucket  if  it 
bed  n't  b'en  for  her.  She 's  a  good  little 
gal."  The  head  of  the  litter  shook  percep 
tibly. 

"  What  was  dat  —  keek  de  bucket  ?  " 
Pierre  asked. 

"  Oh,  that  's  Yankee  for  dyin',"  said 
Dick  Wheeler,  the  sick  man. 

"  Oh,  you  mus'  never  keek  to  die.  Ma 
thilde,  ma  cousin,  not  want  you." 

"  Sho !  "  Josiah  exclaimed  contemptu 
ously.  "  Your  Matildy 's  a-makin'  love  tu 


88  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

some  new  pea-souper  by  naow.  Come,  boys, 
gi'  me  a-holt  o'  them  handles  —  you  're 
a-gittin'  tuckered." 

"No,  no!  It  is  not  so  wid  de  Canadi- 
eune,"  said  Pierre  hotly.  "  It  may  be  wid 
de  woman  of  de  Bostonais,  but  de  Canadi- 
enne  never  forgot  hees  frien'.  No.  Yas, 
you  may  took  de  hoi',  an'  Ah  will  go  for  de 
lait  for  M'sieu'  Dick,"  and  so  he  ran  to  a 
house  to  beg  milk  in  a  little  pail  he  had 
brought. 

"A  cur'ous  leetle  cuss,  tu  be  a-lookin' 
aout  so  for  you,  Dick,"  said  Josiah.  "  Was 
he  a-carin'  for  you  much  whilst  you  was 
with  them  folks?" 

"  Never  see  him  afore,"  said  Dick. 

"  Dey  was  hoi'  hugly,"  said  Pierre,  re 
turning  with  a  brimming  and  foaming  pail. 
"  W'en  Ah  ask,  dey  will  not  gif  de  lait,  an' 
Ah  ask  de  vache  —  cow,  you  call  it,  dat  gif 
de  lait?  He  was  not  riffuse." 

"  So  you  hooked  it  ?  "  Josiah  asked. 

"  It  was  for  de  cow  to  hook,  mais  he  did 
not,  he  haf  pity  for  M'sieu'  Dick,"  said 
Pierre.  "And  shall  he  not  sleep  in  the 
houses  this  night?"  Whether  they  would 


LA  CANADIENNE  89 

or  not,  Pierre  would  hear  to  nothing  but 
that  the  sick  man  should  have  the  shelter 
of  a  roof,  and  found  it  for  him  in  the  cabin 
of  a  friendly  habitant. 

Next  day  they  fell  in  with  a  detachment 
of  the  retreating  army,  and  with  more  help 
made  more  rapid  progress.  Josiah  insisted 
that  the  boy  should  now  go  back  to  his  peo 
ple,  but  Pierre  was  determined  to  go  on, 
saying  that  Mathilde's  instructions  were 
that  he  should  accompany  the  sick  man  un 
til  he  was  safely  embarked  on  the  lake. 

When  this  was  accomplished  he  did  not 
go  back,  but  took  his  place  in  the  bateau 
beside  the  sick  man,  ministering  to  his 
slightest  want,  and  holding  a  bough  over 
his  face  to  shade  it  from  the  glaring  sun, 
which  shone  down  fiercely  from  the  cloud 
less  June  sky  upon  the  unprotected  invalid, 
whom  the  cool,  green  shores  and  the  spar 
kling  water  seemed  to  mock  as  they  voyaged 
wearily  onward  toward  Crown  Point. 

One  evening,  as  they  landed  on  an  island 
for  the  night's  encampment,  there  arose  a 
sudden  alarm  of  "  A  man  overboard !  "  and 
Josiah,  being  near  at  hand,  plunged  in  to 


90  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

rescue  him.  He  seized  him  by  the  hair  and 
swam  to  the  shore,  which  being  gained  he 
discovered  that  it  was  the  boy  Pierre  whom 
he  had  rescued,  lying  now  insensible  across 
his  knees.  He  unbuttoned  the  rough  woolen 
jacket  and  stripped  open  the  coarse  tow  shirt, 
and  to  his  amazement  uncovered  the  rounded 
breast  of  a  girl.  He  covered  it  as  quickly, 
and,  pouring  a  spoonful  of  rum  into  the  pale, 
set  lips,  soon  saw  the  closed  lids  quiver  and 
the  black  eyes  open  in  questioning  wonder. 

"  I  wish't  I  could  send  ye  back,  you  little 
fool,"  he  said,  in  keen  vexation. 

"  Ah,  do  not,  ma  frien',"  the  other  whis 
pered.  "  Ah  shall  keek  de  bucket  if  I  haf 
not  heem !  " 

Next  day,  in  the  boat,  Dick  lying  with 
closed  eyes  heard  a  voice  over  him  in  ac 
cents  of  love,  "  Ah,  mon  pauvre  ami !  " 

"  Why ! "  he  cried,  staring  wildly  into 
the  face  of  Pierre  bent  close  to  his  own, 
"  I  'd  hev  swore  I  heard  Matildy  speakin' 
tu  me ! " 

"  Oui,  mon  cher,  it  is  Mathilde.     Do  not 
be  hangry  of  me.     Do  not  tell  de  peop'  - 
dey  will  shame  me.     Ah  can't  lif  if  I  have 
not  you  always." 


LA  CANADIENNE  91 

The  retreating  array  had  been  a  week  at 
Crown  Point  in  the  stricken  camp  where 
Colonel  Trumbull  said  he  did  not  enter  a 
tent  or  poor  shelter  of  boughs  that  he  did 
not  find  therein  a  dead  or  dying  soldier, 
when  one  morning  at  roll  call  Private  Kieh- 
ard  Wheeler  was  reported  missing. 

"  Dick  Wheeler 's  desarted,"  said  a  sol 
dier  to  Josiah  an  hour  later.  "An'  that 
'ere  Canuck  boy  'at  's  allus  a-hangin' 
'raound  him,  he  's  gone  tew." 

"Nat'rally,"  said  Josiah  laconically,  and 
musing  to  himself.  "  All  women  hain't  jest 
alike,  for  all  Kenelm  says  so.  If  Dick 
don't  merry  that  gal,  I  '11  shoot  him,  by  the 
Lord  Harry  !  though  as  a  gineral  rule  I  'm 
ag'in'  mixin'  breeds." 


CHAPTER  VII 

DALRYMPLE,    THE   SCOUT 

IN  those  summer  clays  Ticonderoga's 
ceaseless  chime  of  rapids  and  waterfall  was 
overborne  by  the  sounds  of  saw,  axe,  and 
hammer,  and  the  shouts  of  teamsters. 
Every  energy  was  strained  for  the  comple 
tion  of  vessels  to  oppose  the  British  naval 
force,  concerning  whose  coming  continual 
alarming  rumors  came  from  the  northward. 
Gondola  and  galley  were  finished  while  the 
wood  yet  exhaled  the  breath  of  the  forest 
and  mingled  its  sweating  sap  with  the  wa 
ters  of  the  lake,  and  the  lopped  bough  was 
scarcely  withered  before  its  place  was  taken 
by  tapering  yard  and  swelling  sail. 

Seamen    then   came    drifting    inland  — 
rough  old  sea  dogs  who  had  been  burned  by 
the  tropical  suns  and  salted  in  all  the  seas, 
profanely  contemptuous   of   such  craft  and 
the  tame  water  that  floated  them,  and  look- 


DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT  93 

ing  upon  this  service  as  a  sort  of  paid  holi 
day.  Arnold's  masterful  personality  domi 
nated  and  held  in  check  these  half-mutinous 
crews,  as  it  directed  all  the  operations  of 
construction  and  preparation. 

One  day  as  Josiah  was  idly  watching  the 
vessels  getting  guns  and  ammunition  on 
board  and  making  ready  for  speedy  depart 
ure,  a  hand  was  laid  familiarly  on  his  shoul 
der  ;  and  turning  at  the  touch,  he  was  sur 
prised  by  the  weather-beaten  face  of  his  old 
comrade,  Kenelm  Dalrymple,  smiling  up  at 
him  with  more  than  the  gladness  of  friend 
ship  at  the  meeting. 

"  Wai,  boy,  you  're  jest  the  one  I  was 
a-wantin',  an'  yet  not  expectin'  tu  find,  for  I 
did  n't  know  you  was  in  these  parts.  They  're 
a-sendin'  me  off  as  a  scaout  tu  see  what 
them  Britishers  is  up  tu,  an'  haow  many 
water  craft  they  muster.  I  telled  aour  Gen 
eral,  or  Commodore,  Arnil,  I  do'  know  which 
he  is,  'at  Josier  Hill  was  the  man  I  wanted 
for  my  comrade,  an'  Colonel  Warner  cal'- 
lated  you  was  somewheres  'raound,  though 
he  hedn't  see'd  ye  sen  your  'listment  run 
aout.  Come  along  where  they  be,  an' 
they  '11  give  us  marchin'  orders,  tu  rights." 


94  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

Kenelm's  anticipations  were  at  once  real 
ized,  and  the  afternoon  was  not  spent  before 
he  and  his  comrade  were  embarked  in  a 
birch  canoe  and  briskly  plying  their  paddles 
down  the  lake.  At  dark  they  encamped 
awhile  for  supper  and  rest  at  the  mouth  of 
Otter  Creek,  a  much-used  halting  place  for 
warriors  and  hunters  from  time  immemorial. 

The  night  being  clear  and  moonlit,  they 
prepared  to  resume  their  voyage,  as  it  was 
important  that  they  should  get  the  desired 
information  as  early  as  possible.  As  they 
were  about  to  step  into  the  canoe,  Josiah's 
quick  ear  caught  the  sound  of  a  suppressed 
human  voice,  and  stealing  across  to  the 
rocky  cedar-grown  shore,  and  peering  cau 
tiously  through  the  branches,  he  saw  a 
canoe  approaching,  occupied  by  two  men. 
He  crept  back  to  his  comrade,  communi 
cated  his  discovery,  and  the  two  secreted 
themselves  at  a  point  where  the  canoe  would 
probably  land,  or  certainly  pass  very  near. 
This  it  did  in  a  moment,  and  the  two  arising 
into  full  view,  with  rifles  cocked  and  cover 
ing  the  canoemen  with  deadly  aim,  Kenehn 
called,  "  Come  ashore  and  surrender !  " 


DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT  95 

There  was  a  moment  of  silent  surprise 
and  suspended  paddling,  then  a  sullen  grunt, 
and  the  prow  was  turned  shoreward,  and 
with  one  sweep  of  the  paddles  the  canoe 
lightly  touched  the  shore.  The  two  In 
dians  stepped  out  under  cover  of  Kenelm's 
rifle,  and  Josiah  bound  their  hands  behind 
them. 

"  Waubanakee  ?  "  Kenelm  asked. 

"  Euhhoiih,"  one  answered  laconically, 
and  Kenelm,  knowing  something  of  the  lan 
guage,  asked  how  many  English  vessels  there 
were.  "  Fifty,"  was  the  answer.  "  And 
more  men  than  I  can  count." 

"  That 's  a  lie,  tu  begin  with,"  Kenelm 
commented  in  English.  "We  sha'n't  get 
nothin'  aout  o'  these  chaps,  an'  might  as 
well  knock  'em  in  the  head  an'  go  'long," 

But  Josiah  was  not  yet  educated  up  to 
this  summary  method  of  disposing  of  pris 
oners,  and  they  compromised  on  binding 
them,  taking  their  guns,  and  leaving  them 
here  until  their  own  return,  which,  if  all 
was  well,  would  not  be  long  delayed.  The 
prisoners  followed  them  with  sullen  eyes 
until  they  disappeared  in  the  dim  light. 


96  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

At  daybreak  the  scouts  were  far  down 
the  lake.  Landing  on  a  rocky  point,  Josiah 
climbed  a  tall  tree,  from  which  he  discov 
ered  the  sails  of  the  advancing  British  fleet 
—  the  white  sails  slowly  rising  like  clouds 
above  the  blue  line  of  the  horizon,  then  the 
black  hulls  like  islands  suddenly  born  of  the 
lake.  He  could  make  out  the  great  levia 
than  of  a  rideau,  or  floating  battery,  creep 
ing  nearer  with  sweep  and  sail. 

"  Sir  Guy  Carleton  's  the  head  o'  the  hul 
consarn,  so  they  say,"  Kenelm  remarked,  as 
they  watched  the  advancing  fleet,  "  an'  I  da' 
say  the'  's  a  dozen  Sir  Somebodies  aboard 
o'  them  vessels.  They're  thicker  'n  mos 
quitoes  in  a  swamp  over  in  the  ol'  country. 
Say,  Josi,  did  ye  know  't  I  jest  missed 
a-bein'  one  on  'em?"  he  asked  suddenly, 
breaking  a  silence  of  abstracted  musing. 

"  You ! "  Josiah  ejaculated  incredulously, 
staring  at  the  roughly  clad,  weather-beaten 
little  man.  But  the  brown  face  was  quite 
serious,  except  for  a  twinkle  of  amusement 
in  the  eyes. 

"  Odd,  hain't  it  ?  But  true,  as  nigh  as  I 
can  cal'late." 


DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT  97 

"  I  sh'd  think  you  'd  orter  know  for  sar- 
tin  whether  'r  no  't  is  or  't  ain't,"  Josiah 
remarked. 

"  But  I  don't  —  not  sartin,"  the  old 
ranger  answered.  "  I  '11  tell  ye  all  I  du 
know  when  we  get  afloat."  And  when  they 
had  resumed  their  paddles  he  began  his 
story. 

"  The  fust  thing  I  remember  was  a-bein' 
tossed  in  a  ship,  I  s'pose  it  was,  a'most  for 
ever  on  no  end  o'  water,  an'  comin'  at  last 
tu  haousen  an'  folks  on  land  ;  an'  then  o* 
goin'  ag'in  on  smoother  water  a  long  ways, 
wi'  woods,  woods  on  ary  side,  till  bimeby  I 
waked  up  one  mornin'  'mongst  odd-lookin' 
men,  feathered  an'  painted,  an'  as  odd-look- 
in'  red  women  in  blankets  o'  blue  an'  red. 
I  was  mighty  feared  on  'em  all  at  fust,  but  got 
used  tu  'em  arter  a  spell,  an'  tu  not  seein' 
sca'cely  a  white  face,  but  one  tall,  sober, 
quiet  man  'at  I  come  tu  know  was  my  father. 

"  Naow  an'  ag'in  he  'd  be  gone  for  days 
an'  days,  an'  me  left  in  a  big  log  haouse 
wi'  a  good-lookin'  red  woman  takiii'  keer  o' 
me,  an'  me  a-playin'  wi'  little  red  boys  an' 
gals,  an'  1'arnin'  tu  talk  their  lingo,  an'  all 


98  .       A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

their  ways  in  the  woods  —  sneakin'  ontu 
squirrels  an'  pa'tridges  an'  ducks  sly  as 
foxes,  an'  shootin'  'em  wi'  bow  arrers. 
That 's  all  I  remember  o'  my  start  in  life, 
an'  I  come  to  know  it  was  in  a  Mohawk 
taown  my  father  an'  me  was  livin'.  So  it 
run  along  till  I  was  six  year  ol'  mebby,  an' 
a  reg'lar  leetle  Injin  as  any  on  'em,  an'  one 
day  a  party  o'  painted  Injins  come  bringin1 
my  father  tu  his  haouse  on  a  litter,  sore 
wounded  an'  at  the  p'int  o'  death,  an'  my 
squaw  mammy  a-cryin'  an'  takin'  on  over 
him.  He  lay  mighty  still,  mostly,  an'  kep' 
me  clus  tu  him,  an'  one  day  he  says,  4  My 
poor  lad,  I  must  go  an'  leave  thee,  I  'm 
afeerd,'  an'  he  gi'  me  a  package  o'  papers 
sewed  up  in  a  buckskin  bag,  an'  a  leetle 
pictur'  of  a  woman  'at  he  tol'  me  was  my 
mother,  an'  tol'  me  tu  keep  'ein  all  safe 
whatever  come.  The  papers  I  lost  or  they 
was  stole  ;  the  pictur'  I  '11  show  ye  fust  place 
we  land. 

"  Wai,  my  father,  he  died  pooty  soon, 
an'  left  me  a  lone,  lorn  leetle  chap  as  ever 
you  see.  Arter  a  spell  the'  was  a  lawyer 
man  come  up  from  Albany  an'  took  me  back 


DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT  99 

along  wi'  him,  an'  I  was  livin'  comf'table 
as  I  could  ask,  'cept  goin'  tu  school,  which 
I  did  n't  like.  Next  I  knowed  I  was  nabbed 
one  evenin'  by  some  o'  my  ol'  Mohawk 
friends  an'  carried  off  tu  their  taown  ;  an' 
then  I  was  hustled  raoun,  hither  an'  yon, 
naow  huntin',  naow  fightin'. 

"  Then  I  drifted  intu  Conne't'cut  an'  the 
Bay  Colony,  an'  tried  tu  stiddy  daown  tu 
white  folks's  life,  but  it  wa'n't  no  use.  It 
was  huntin'  or  trappin'  or  scaoutin',  till  at 
last  I  was  in  Rogers'  Rangers  an'  'long  wi' 
Nabby  Crumbie's  big  army  tu  Lake  George. 
The'  was  lots  happened  betwixt,  but  nothin' 
tu  du  wi'  this  story.  The'  was  no  eend 
o'  sirs  an'  lords  in  thet  army,  an'  the  best 
on  'em  all  was  Lord  Howe,  who  was  the 
raal  head  an'  heart  o'  the  army.  He  hed  n't 
none  o'  the  high  an'  mighty  airs  o'  most  o' 
the  British,  'at  was  allers  a-stickin'  up  their 
damned  red  noses  at  us  Provincials.  He 
knowed  we  knowed  more  about  bush  fightin' 
'an  they  did,  an'  he  sot  tu,  tu  1'arn  all  he 
could  o'  ary  on'  us,  officer  or  private.  He 
wa'n't  above  takin'  lessons  o'  me  in  rifle 
shootin',  an'  one  day  he  says  tu  me, 


100  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

4  Where  VI  ye  git  your  high-due'  name,  Dal- 
rymple  ? '  an'  I  says,  4  From  my  father,  I 
s'pose.'  4  An'  who  was  he  ?  '  says  he,  an'  I 
toF  him  all  I  knowed,  it  interestin'  on  him 
mightily  ;  an'  when  I  showed  him  the  pictur' 
he  looked  a  long  spell  at  it  an'  at  a  sort  o' 
pictur'  on  the  back,  an'  then  he  up  an'  says, 
4  You  've  got  noble  blood  in  your  veins,  an' 
if  you  had  your  rights  you  'd  be  a  Scottish 
peer.  Haow 'd  ye  like  tu  be  a  lord ? '  'I 
do'  know,  your  lordship,'  says  I.  '  I  hain't 
never  had  no  experience  in  't.  What  du 
they  haf ter  du,  my  lord  ? ' 

"  He  kinder  laughed,  an'  says  he, '  You  'd 
haftu  ride  over  your  estate  an'  see  haow 
things  was  goin',  an'  you  'd  live  in  a  big  fine 
haouse  wi'  lots  o'  sarvants,  an'  entertain 
lots  o'  fine  ladies  an'  gentlemen,  an'  you  VI 
have  a  seat  in  Parliament,  an'  I  can't  tell 
ye  what  all.'  'An'  wear  fine  clothes  an' 
have  my  hair  iled  an'  powdered  ? '  says  I. 
4  Of  course,'  says  he,  4  an'  have  lots  o' 
money  an'  hunt  an'  shoot  in  the  proper 
seasons.'  '  That 's  suthin'  like,'  says  I, l  but 
the  clo'es  an'  the  comp'ny  an'  the  paowdered 
hair  an'  the  big  haouse,  I  do'  want  none  on 


DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT  101 


'em,  thank  ye,  my  lord-  •'  aH'  theto^he  Iduglied 
fit  tu  split,  an'  then  sobered  daown  an'  says, 
'  Wai,  when  this  campaign  is  over  I  shall 
look  the  matter  up,  for  I  believe  if  you  had 
your  rights  you  'd  be  Sir  Kenelm  Dalrymple 
of  that  ilk,  instead  of  a  poor  private  in  the 
Rangers.'  '  But  this  is  a  tol'able  free  life,' 
says  I,  '  an'  my  clo'es  is  easy  an'  my  hair 
short,  an'  I  don't  haftu  ride  no  horse,'  an' 
then  he  laughed  again. 

"  But  he  was  killed  in  the  fust  skirmish, 
more 's  the  pity  for  us  all,  an'  there  wa'n't 
never  no  more  o'  my  bein'  Sir  Ken  elm  — 
not  as  I  care  the  primin'  of  a  rifle  for  that, 
though.  Haow  'd  you  enj'y  bein'  one  on 
'em,  Josi  ?  " 

"  I  hain't  never  be'n  in  the  lordin'  busi 
ness  —  not  so  much  as  seen  one  on  'em,  an' 
I  can't  say,"  Josiah  answered  after  some 
consideration.  "  But  I  cal'late  a  tew  hun 
dred  acre  pitch  an'  a  hired  man  'd  gi'  me 
abaout  all  the  lordin'  I  want  to  tackle." 

"  The  freedom  o'  the  woods  is  better  'n 
the  hul  on  't,"  said  the  landless  heir  of  a 
princely  manor,  as  he  turned  the  canoe's 
prow  to  an  inviting  beach;  and  there,  as 


102  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 


.  ^cst^d,  efe))LQ  .  paddling  and  stretched 
their  cramped  legs,  he  drew  forth  from  his 
breast  a  miniature  of  a  beautiful  woman  clad 
in  the  costume  and  with  her  hair  in  the  elab 
orate  dressing  of  the  first  decade  of  the  cen 
tury.  In  the  back  of  the  locket  were  the 
armorial  bearings  of  the  Dairy  m  pies  of  Dal- 
rymple,  in  gold  and  enamel,  with  the  legend 
"  Suum  cuique." 

"  And  this  is  all  you  ever  seen  o'  your 
mother,  is  't  ?  "  Josiah  asked,  after  studying 
the  fair  face  awhile. 

"  All  'at  I  remember,"  the  old  man  an 
swered,  with  a  sigh,  as  he  carefully  replaced 
the  miniature  in  an  inner  pocket.  "  An'  I 
tell  ye  what  it  is,  boy,  a  man  'at  hain't  never 
had  a  chance  to  know  his  mother  has  got 
the  odds  ag'in'  him.  Wai,  there  's  aour 
fleets,  an'  we  must  let  'em  know  what 
they  're  comin'  tu,"  said  Kenelm,  as  the 
van  of  the  American  flotilla  appeared  be 
yond  a  distant  headland. 

They  made  all  haste  now  to  return,  and 
soon  met  the  flagship  in  advance.  This 
they  boarded  and  Kenelm  made  his  report 
to  Arnold,  while  Josiah  held  on  at  the  side 


DALRYMPLE,  THE  SCOUT  103 

in  the  canoe,  the  salt-sea  sailors  looking 
down  in  contempt  and  wonder  at  him  and 
his  frail  craft. 

"  Say,  cabbagehead !  "  one  of  them  called, 
"  did  ye  sight  the  fleet  ?  How  many  sail 
did  ye  make  'em,  an'  where  away  be  they  ?  " 

"  As  many  as  you  '11  want,  an'  they  '11 
soon  be  nigher  'an  you  want,"  said  Josiah. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN 

KENELM  presently  joined  Josiah  and  they 
pushed  away  from  the  galley. 

"  His  orders  is  for  us  tu  git  ashore  on  the 
highland  an'  see  how  things  goes  an'  then 
put  for  Ticonderogue,"  said  Kenelm. 

The  two  landed,  secreted  the  canoe  in  the 
bushes,  and  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  rocky 
promontory,  from  which  they  watched  the 
American  squadron  pass  behind  the  island 
of  Valcour  and  anchor  in  line  across  the 
inner  channel.  An  hour  later  the  British 
fleet  came  bowling  along  before  the  wind, 
and,  discovering  the  position  of  the  enemy, 
put  about  and  attempted  to  beat  in  after 
them.  But  the  larger  vessels,  which  de 
pended  upon  their  sails  alone,  were  unable 
to  do  so,  and  only  gunboats  and  galleys, 
using  sweeps,  could  follow. 

They  engaged  hotly   and  were  as  hotly 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         105 

replied  to.  Cannon  and  echoes  bellowed 
continuous  thunder,  and  thick  clouds  of 
smoke  soon  enveloped  both  fleets  so,  that  the 
scouts  could  distinguish  nothing  of  either 
save  the  large  sailing  craft,  and  the  huge 
unwieldy  rideau,  which  lay  anchored  out 
side.  Even  their  outlines  soon  grew  dim  in 
the  thickening  haze  which  the  battle  was 
adding  to  the  vaporous  October  atmosphere. 

Suddenly  the  cloud  was  torn  by  a  belch 
ing  dome  of  smoke,  and  a  broad  shaft  of 
fire  carried  upward  an  indistinguishable 
shower  of  wreckage.  There  was  a  swell 
ing  volume  of  thunder,  a  moment  of  awful 
silence,  then  a  patter  of  falling  fragments, 
then  a  cheer  and  an  answering  cheer,  and 
the  thunder  of  the  cannon  began  again. 
From  the  position  of  the  explosion  the 
scouts  guessed  it  was  an  American  vessel. 
By  and  by  there  was  a  nearer  one  in  the 
British  line.  At  last  towards  nightfall 
firing  ceased,  the  cloud  of  battle  drifted  by, 
and  both  shattered  lines  were  disclosed,  the 
Americans  apparently  having  suffered  most. 

The  scouts  decided  that  there  was  little 
hope  for  their  side,  and  their  own  best  course 


106  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

was  to  make  for  Ticonderoga  with  all  speed. 
Accordingly  they  set  forth  as  soon  as  dark 
ness  enabled  them  to  do  so  without  discov 
ery,  and  at  dawn  were  crossing  Corlear's 
Bay,  near  to  Split  Hock,  when  they  saw  sails 
looming  behind  them  in  the  gray  light. 
The  scouts  could  not  determine  of  which 
fleet  the  vessels  were,  and  ran  the  canoe 
into  the  dividing  fissure  of  the  Hock  to  wait 
and  ascertain. 

Presently  they  discovered  the  American 
flag  flying,  and  a  galley  swept  past,  and  an 
other  and  another,  and  could  scarcely  sup 
press  a  cheer  for  the  audacious  escape  out 
of  the  jaws  of  the  enemy. 

But  the  faster  sailing  and  less  crippled 
English  vessels  were  close  on  Arnold's  heels, 
and  now  began  firing.  Kenelm  and  Josiah 
determined  to  make  a  bold  push  for  the  east 
ern  point,  Ko-zo-ap-skwa,  skirt  the  great 
bay,  and  continue  their  journey  by  land  if 
necessary.  They  shot  out  of  the  Split  with 
all  the  strength  of  arms  and  paddles,  and 
were  halfway  across  before  attracting  the 
attention  of  either  fleet.  Then  they  were 
hailed,  but  still  pursued  their  course,  in 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         107 

spite  of  several  musket  shots,  until  they 
were  almost  in  the  shelter  of  the  shore,  when 
a  bullet  shattered  Josiah's  paddle  and  en 
tered  the  canoe  amidships  at  the  water  line. 
They  hastily  cast  the  guns  captured  from 
the  Indians  far  out  into  the  deep  water, 
and  scrambled  to  the  rocky  beach  from  the 
sinking  boat  and  abandoned  her,  though  a 
patch  of  bark,  a  thread  of  split  spruce-root, 
and  a  little  turpentine  and  deer's  tallow 
would  have  made  her  as  good  as  she  ever 
was  ;  but  there  was  no  time  for  such  work. 
A  long,  circuitous  journey  lay  before  them, 
the  circuit  of  the  bay,  with  three  streams  to 
cross  and  tangled  woods  to  march  through. 

They  began  it  at  once  and  had  not  gone 
ten  steps  when  there  was  a  sharp  twang  of 
a  bow-string,  and  a  new  made  arrow  with  a 
flint  point  cut  through  the  sleeve  of  Ken- 
elm's  rifle  shirt  and  lodged  in  the  breast  of 
it,  just  grazing  his  skin.  Another  whistled 
like  a  swooping  hawk  past  Josiah's  head. 
The  two  men  charged  into  the  undergrowth 
whence  the  arrows  had  come,  but  found  no 
one,  and,  concluding  that  discretion  was  the 
better  part  of  valor,  hastened  their  retreat. 


108  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

They  crossed  the  salmon  stream  on  a 
groat  jam  of  driftwood,  and  soon  came  to  the 
abandoned  clearing  and  their  own  cabin, 
which  had  been  their  last  real  home.  The 
English  grasses  that  Josiah  had  sown  were 
making  a  feeble  struggle  against  lusty  ferns 
and  sprouting  saplings,  and  a  few  stripped 
black  stalks  marked  the  place  of  the  corn 
field.  The  pestle  of  the  plumping-mill  had 
parted  by  its  weight  the  rotting  thong  of 
bark,  and  lay  beside  the  hollowed  stump  in 
which  the  black  mould  of  fallen  leaves  was 
gathering.  A  blackberry  brier  grew  rankly 
in  a  crevice  of  the  threshold,  and  its  talon- 
like  thorns  snatched  viciously  at  Josiah  as 
he  pushed  open  the  unlatched  door,  as  if  to 
keep  him  from  entering  to  the  hearthstone 
his  own  hands  had  laid.  A  squirrel  scur 
ried  away  from  his  middens  pile  of  cone 
chips  on  the  hearth,  and  from  his  safe  retreat 
of  the  loft  scoffed  at  the  one  who  was  now 
the  intruder.  Some  large  beast,  whose 
tracks  were  imprinted  in  the  cold  ashes  of 
the  fireplace,  had  made  its  lair  in  the  old 
straw-bed.  Josiah  smiled  grimly  as  he  saw 
how  much  more  at  home  the  wild  things 


SCOUTING  ON   CHAMPLAIN         109 

were  than  he  in  what  he  had  once  called  his 
own,  and  how  nature  was  asserting  and  re 
establishing  herself,  and  erasing  the  signs 
of  his  sojourning.  With  what  high  hopes 
he  had  hewn  and  builded  and  delved,  and 
now  it  was  all  nothing  to  him. 

Meanwhile  Kenelm  was  questing  to  some 
purpose.  Overgrowth  of  brambles  and 
sprouts  did  not  set  him  at  fault,  and  he 
went  unerringly  to  the  old  hiding-place  and 
pulled  forth  the  brandy-cask,  wherefrom  he 
drew  a  deep  draught  and  filled  a  flask  for 
Josiah  and  one  for  himself.  Now  they 
built  a  raft  and  got  to  the  other  bank. 

"  And  naow,"  said  Kenelm,  starting  up 
after  a  few  minutes'  rest,  "  we  '11  strike  for 
the  Great  Otter  a  mile  above  the  maouth, 
an'  hit  the  lake  where  it  happens,  about 
Button  Mold  Bay,  maybe." 

"  And  what  abaout  our  prisoners  ?  We 
don't  want  tu  leave  'em  to  starve." 

"  Never  you  fear  but  what  they  're  safe 
enough,"  Kenelm  laughed.  "  Who  but 
them  du  you  s'pose  it  was  paid  their  com 
pliments  tu  us  on  Thompson's  P'int  ?  You 
don't  find  no  bow-arrer  Injins  so  nigh  the 


110  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

forts  onless  there's  a  good  reason  for  it. 
They  got  loose  someway,  an'  hevin'  no  guns 
made  'em  some  bow-arrers,  an'  started  for 
Canerdy.  If  they  'd  ben  in  practyce  they  'd 
ha'  pinned  us  fust  pop." 

The  scouts  struck  the  lake  diagonally  at 
a  point  where  the  running  fight,  whose  pro 
gress  up  the  lake  they  had  noted  as  they 
journeyed,  seemed  to  have  stopped. 

They  hurried  on  till  they  came  to  a  small 
bay  on  the  sheltered  south  shore,  off  which 
two  of  Arnold's  galleys  lay  grounded  and 
burning,  with  their  flags  still  flying.  Now 
and  then  a  heated  gun  sent  its  charge  of 
grape  hurtling  into  the  woods  and  banks; 
and  avoiding  these  aimless  volleys,  they  drew 
near. 

"  Hark !  "  cried  Josiah,  listening  with 
held  breath.  "  Some  poor  divil  's  left  aboard 
on  her !  "  and  he  dashed  into  the  water  and 
out  to  the  burning  galley,  followed  close  by 
his  comrade. 

They  climbed  the  prow  to  the  smoking 
deck,  where  they  found  a  lieutenant  shot 
in  both  legs.  The  flames  were  creeping 
toward  him  along  the  blood-stained  deck, 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         111 

and  he  was  making  frantic  but  futile  efforts 
to  drag  himself  to  the  bulwarks  and  cast 
himself  into  the  lake  to  drown.  Kenelm 
poured  a  draught  of  brandy  down  the 
wounded  man's  throat,  then  lifted  him  and 
bore  him  quickly  and  carefully  to  the  shore, 
which  was  not  difficult,  as  the  galley  was 
grounded  in  water  not  more  than  waist  deep. 
A  British  craft  was  already  at  the  mouth  of 
the  bay,  and  there  was  no  time  to  lose.  The 
two  carried  him  up  the  bank  into  the  woods 
and  laid  him  behind  a  knoll,  when  Josiah 
went  for  water. 

"  It 's  all  up  with  me,"  the  poor  fellow 
groaned  ;  "  but  those  devils  should  n't  have 
left  me  to  roast  to  death.  Thank  you,  God 
bless  you,  for  giving  me  an  easier  death. 
Take  these  papers  to  the  fort  and  they'll 
be  sent  to  my  people.  We  fought  a  good 
fight,  but  it  was  no  use.  Good-by."  With 
that  he  breathed  his  last.  Laying  him  in  a 
house  just  deserted  by  its  owner,  the  scouts 
hurried  on  their  way,  already  pursued  by 
British  soldiers  and  sailors. 

"  Down  !  "  Kenelm  whispered,  he  being 
in  the  lead,  and  plunged  into  a  thicket  of 


112  A   DANVIS   PIONEER 

cedars  beside  the  path,  whither  Josiah  fol 
lowed,  and  a  moment  later  a  band  of  Indians 
came  questing  along  the  road,  as  eager  as 
hounds  at  fault.  Others  came  up  and,  meet 
ing  the  soldiers  and  sailors  almost  opposite 
the  hidden  scouts,  fell  to  talking  of  affairs. 
It  appeared  they  had  been  lying  in  ambush 
for  Arnold's  force,  which  had  fortunately 
slipped  past  a  little  too  quickly  for  them. 

"  Look  !  "  Kenelm  whispered  in  surprise, 
almost  too  loudly  for  safety,  —  so  loudly 
that  Josiah  gave  him  a  cautionary  kick. 
"  Roast  me  an'  eat  me  if  that  oP  he  one 
hain't  aour  big  Sabattis  Wadso,  'at  we 
passed  off  on  the  Yorkers  for  Ethan  Allen." 

Josiah  looked  more  closely  at  the  broad, 
naturally  good-humored  face  of  the  gigantic 
Indian  now  almost  savage  in  its  expression 
of  eagerness,  and  nodded  an  affirmative. 

"  An'  I  s'pose  if  he  ketched  us  naow  he 
wouldn't  think  no  more  o'  peelin'  aour 
heads  'an  he  would  o'  skinnrn'  a  mushrat." 

"  If  you  don't  want  tu  know  for  sartin, 
you'd  better  keep  still,"  Josiah  whispered, 
but  some  slight  sound  or  movement  had 
already  caught  the  alert  senses  of  one  of 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         113 

the  Indians.  His  face  was  turned  intently 
toward  the  hiding-place  of  the  scouts ;  then 
as  he  took  a  few  cautious  steps  nearer,  his 
slowly  roving  eyes,  followed  by  those  of 
his  comrades,  became  fixed  on  one  point 
and  alight  with  a  fierce  joy.  Then  with  one 
accord  and  a  hideous  discord  of  yelps  the 
painted  band  swooped  down  upon  the  thicket, 
and  the  two  scouts  were  dragged  forth  from 
their  ineffectual  hiding.  They  were  roughly 
handled,  and  tomahawks  and  knives  were 
brandished  threateningly  about  their  heads 
until  the  big  Indian  whom  they  had  recog 
nized,  thrusting  his  yelling  comrades  aside, 
came  to  the  front. 

"  Hugh !  "  he  ejaculated,  seizing  Kenelm's 
hand  in  a  vice-like  grip.  "  You  know  um  me, 
Lymple !  Me  Wadso ;  me  know  um  Josi, 
too,  all  dlink  um  lum  ;  fight  um  Yorker  mans 
plenty  up  Wonakaketookese.  What  for  you 
fight  um  king  sojer?  Ugh!  Dat  plenty 
bad,  Lymple.  Mebby  kill  um  you  now." 

"  I  '11  resk  them  a-hurtin'  on  us,"  said 
Kenelm.  "  We  haint  no  spies,  but  reg'lar 
scaouts,  a-wearin'  aour  regimentals.  It's 
your  fellers  we  're  in  danger  on." 


114  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"You  '11  be  well  treated  by  us,  I  promise 
you,  my  man,  for  Sir  Guy  has  given  special 
orders  that  all  prisoners  of  war  shall  be 
kindly  treated,"  said  the  lieutenant  in  com 
mand  of  the  platoon  of  soldiers.  "  I  'd  take 
you  in  charge,  but  I  suppose  these  Indians 
will  claim  the  right  to  turn  you  over  to  Sir 
Guy,  as  they  captured  you."  Then  address 
ing  Wadso,  "  Captain  Wadso,  if  I  leave  these 
men  with  you,  you  must  give  them  up  to 
your  great  brother,  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  safe 
and  sound  as  they  are  now.  He  will  be 
very  angry  if  any  harm  conies  to  them  by 
your  people." 

"  Sartin,  brudder,"  Wadso  answered,  yet 
looked  troubled  as  he  noted  the  sullen  anger 
in  the  faces  of  his  followers,  who  evidently 
comprehended  the  import  of  the  colloquy. 

"Their  fingers  is  jest  itchin'  for  aour 
scalps  an'  their  hearts  a-covetin'  aour  rifles, 
an'  well  they  may,  for  the'  haint  their  like 
on  the  frontier,"  said  Kenelm,  anxiously 
watching  the  Indians  as  they  passed  the 
guns  from  one  to  another,  trying  the  oily 
smoothness  of  the  locks  and  aiming  the  long 
barrels  at  various  objects. 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         115 

Wadso  spoke  earnestly  to  his  followers  in 
their  own  language,  urging  them  to  turn 
over  the  prisoners  to  the  soldiers.  But 
their  only  response  was  a  brief  and  sullen 
negative. 

"  My  mans  say  no  give  um  up  to-day  — 
to-morrow,  mebby,"  Wadso  explained  to  the 
officer. 

"  Damned  fine  discipline  these  fellows  are 
under,"  that  gentleman  exclaimed  testily. 
"  I  'd  as  lief  have  a  pack  of  wolves  for 
allies !  I  don't  see  but  I  must  leave  you 
with  them,  my  men,"  he  said  to  the  prison 
ers.  "  I  '11  report  your  case  to  the  general 
at  once,  and  I  'm  sure  he  '11  have  it  attended 
to."  Then  to  the  Indians,  —  "Now,  mind 
you,  if  any  harm  comes  to  these  men  while 
they're  in  your  hands,  your  great  brother 
will  never  forgive  you.  No  more  fire-water, 
no  more  presents,  and  I  don't  know  what 
he  will  do  to  you!  His  orders  are  very 
positive." 

Indeed,  so  kindly  did  the  humane  and 
politic  Caiieton  treat  all  the  prisoners  who 
fell  into  his  hands  that  he  quite  won  their 
hearts ;  and  when  they  were  paroled  it  was 


116  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

not  deemed  prudent  by  the  American  com 
manders  to  let  them  mingle  with  the  other 
troops,  but  to  remove  them  to  a  distant 
quarter,  where  his  praises  might  be  more 
safely  sounded. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  grim  old  ranger  bitterly, 
"  an'  before  to-morrer  uiornin'  they  '11  be 
fur  on  the  road  tu  Canerdy  wi'  aour  top 
knots  a-dryin'  like  tew  beaver  skins,  an' 
the  crows  a-holdin'  a  inquest  on  aour  bodies. 
I  'm  almighty  glad  aour  hair  's  tew  short 
tu  be  praoud  on."  Yet  for  all  his  bravado 
he  felt  his  scalp  crawling  as  if  already  bid 
ding  farewell  to  his  skull,  as  the  lieutenant 
ordered  his  men  to  fall  in,  and  they  began 
marching  back  to  the  boats. 

No  sooner  were  the  soldiers  out  of  sight 
than  the  arms  of  the  prisoners  were  pinioned, 
and  they  were  led  away  to  a  sheltered  cove, 
where  their  captors  intended  encamping  for 
the  night. 

"  Wai,  boy,  this  scaout  's  comin'  tu  an 
eend,"  said  Kenelm,  as  the  two  lay  tied, 
neck  and  heels,  near  a  great  fire  around 
which  Indians  were  squatted  talking  ear 
nestly  while  they  watched  the  roasting  of 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         117 

the  ribs  of  a  freshly  butchered  hog.  "  But 
I  do'  know  as  it  makes  much  odds,  for  they 
got  all  aour  news  an'  more  tew,  to  the  fort 
long  ago." 

"  What 's  wuss,  it  eends  all  aour  scaout- 
in',"  Josiah  rejoined  despondently. 

"  I  can't  say  but  what  you  're  right,"  said 
Kenelm,  "  erless  aour  ol'  friend  gives  us  a 
boost  on  the  sly,  for  he  can't  du  nothin' 
orderin'  or  a-coaxin'  his  cussed  gang.  As 
nigh  as  I  can  make  aout  by  their  gab,  they 
can't  quite  settle  on  't  whether  they  '11  kill 
us  here  or  tote  us  off  tu  Canerdy,  an'  hold 
us  for  a  ransom.  One  's  'baout  as  bad  as 
t'  other,  only  there  is  a  chance  o'  givin'  on 
'em  the  slip  as  long  as  you  're  alive. —  Say, 
Sabattis,  what  be  you  fellers  a-goin'  tu  du 
wi'  us  ?  " 

"  No  talk  um  me  !  "  the  big  chief  said, 
frowning  upon  him.  "  My  young  mans 
plenty  hugly  ;  you  talk  um  me,  make  um 
more  hugly." 

"  He  don't  'pear  tu  be  as  socierble  as  he 
useter,  wi'  a  slug  o'  rum  an'  hell  fire  a-thaw- 
in'  his  insides." 

"  Tew  much  talk  was  what   fetched  us 


118  A  DANVIS   PIONEER 

where  we  be,  an'  I  guess  talk  won't  git  us 
aout'n  this  scrape,"  Josiah  said  significantly. 

"  I  forgive  ye  flingin'  that  in  my  face," 
said  the  old  ranger  with  an  injured  air, 
"but  I  will  say,  'f  I  hadn't  had  you  tu 
talk  tu,  I  would  n't  ha'  said  nothin',  so 
you  're  as  deep  in  the  mud  as  I  be  hi  the 
mire,"  to  which  Josiah  vouchsafed  no  re 
sponse. 

When  the  roast  was  done  the  Indians  fell 
to  it  tooth  and  nail  like  a  pack  of  hungry 
wolves,  yet  with  all  their  gorging  did  not 
forget  to  furnish  their  captives  occasional 
generous  mouthfuls  from  their  dirty  fingers. 
This  the  experienced  old  scout  construed  as 
a  sign  that  they  Were  to  be  taken  to  Canada, 
as  toothsome  food  would  hardly  be  wasted 
on  men  who  were  presently  to  be  killed. 

"  But  if  they  take  us  there  it  '11  mean  run- 
nin'  the  gauntlet,  an'  you  '11  think  that  hain't 
no  'strornary  improvement  on  death  if  their 
cussed  squaws  take  a  hand  in  't."  With 
that  he  turned  upon  his  side,  and  Josiah 
following  his  example,  both  soon  fell  into  a 
deep  sleep,  in  spite  of  the  uncertainty  of  their 
fate  and  the  discomfort  of  their  bonds. 


SCOUTING  ON   CHAMPLAIN         119 

Far  in  the  night  each  was  awakened  by  a 
voice  whispering  in  his  ear,  "  S-s-h !  keep 
um  still !  "  and  looking  up,  they  saw  the 
bulky  form  of  Sabattis  Wadso  bending  over 
them  ;  then  felt  his  knife  cautiously  sever 
ing  the  thongs  that  bound  wrists  and  ankles. 
Inch  by  inch  they  stretched  their  cramped 
limbs,  and,  carefully  lifting  their  heads, 
they  saw  by  the  dull  glow  of  the  dying  fire 
all  the  glutted  Waubanakees  rolled  in  their 
blankets  sleeping  like  gorged  beasts. 

The  south  wind  that  held  Sir  Guy  Carle- 
ton's  fleet  from  Ticonderoga  until  he  was 
weary  of  waiting,  was  already  beginning  to 
blow,  and  the  clash  of  branches  and  the 
gusty  rustle  of  leaves  effectually  overbore 
the  slight  sounds  of  a  crushed  leaf  or  snapped 
twig  as  the  freed  scouts,  following  their  de 
liverer,  crept  on  hands  and  knees,  slow  as 
turtles,  until  they  were  twenty  yards  away 
from  the  circle  of  sleepers.  Then  Kenelm 
arrested  Sabattis  with  a  grasp  on  his  ankle 
and  overhauled  him  clutch  by  clutch  until 
his  mouth  was  at  the  Indian's  ear,  and  whis 
pered,  — 

"I   hain't   a-goin'  another  damned  inch 


120  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

wi'aout  my  gun.  I  'd  as  lief  be  in  hell 
wi'aout  claws !  " 

"  Me  got  urn,"  Wadso  answered,  and  led 
on  a  little  further,  when  all  arose  to  their 
feet ;  and  stooping  low,  moving  more  swiftly 
forward,  they  presently  found  the  guns  lying 
beside  a  log.  Now  they  came  to  the  thicket 
where  the  scouts  had  been  discovered,  into 
which  Kenelm  dived  and  brought  forth  the 
brandy  flasks,  which  had  been  prudently 
dropped  there  when  they  went  forth  to  give 
themselves  up.  Kenelm  handed  one  to  the 
Indian,  while  he  and  Josiah  refreshed  them 
selves  with  moderate  draughts  from  the 
other.  Sabattis  sniffed  the  uncorked  flask 
with  a  suppressed  grunt  of  satisfaction,  and 
held  it  long  to  his  lips. 

"  His  mother  never  whipped  him  for  hold- 
in'  his  breath,"  Kenelm  remarked,  as  he 
watched  the  slow  ascent  of  the  flask's  bot 
tom.  It  came  down  with  a  faint  chipper  of 
its  almost  exhausted  contents,  and  Wadso 
led  on  at  a  brisk  but  noiseless  pace  until  he 
set  the  scouts  on  a  plain  trail  leading  south 
ward. 

"Go  Carillon.     No  go  Fledlic,  English 


SCOUTING  ON  CHAMPLAIN         121 

got  um.  Ketch  you,  you  go  dar.  Goo'by. 
AVadso  no  forgot  um  flien'.  Goo'by,"  and 
turning  away  lie  was  swallowed  quickly  in 
the  gloom  of  the  woods. 

"  Good-by,  you  blessed  ol'  heathen !  " 
Kenelm  whispered  huskily  after  him.  "  I 
reckoned  you  'd  strike  fire  true  when  it  come 
tu  the  scratch,  an'  you  hain't  flashed  in  the 
pan.  —  Naow,  boy,  le's  make  tracks  quick  an' 
fur  apart  for  Ticonderogue." 

They  pushed  forward  with  all  the  speed 
possible  in  the  darkness,  often  alarmed  by 
sounds  which  they  took  to  be  the  tramping 
and  yells  of  the  pursuing  enemy,  but  which 
were  in  fact  nothing  more  terrible  than  the 
clash  and  fall  of  branches,  and  the  crunch 
of  chafing  tree  trunks.  At  daylight  they 
arrived  opposite  the  fort,  and  a  hail  soon 
brought  a  boat  over  for  them. 

Carleton's  fleet  got  but  little  beyond 
Crown  Point,  when  the  strong  south  wind 
continuing  with  increasing  fury,  he  de 
spaired  of  getting  any  further,  and  weigh- 
ins:  anchor  sailed  for  Canada. 


CHAPTER  IX 

HUBBARDTON 

DURING  the  winter  Josiah  Hill  lingered 
about  the  forts  and  neighboring  settlements, 
leading  an  aimless,  vagabond  sort  of  life, 
now  chopping,  now  trapping,  until  the  fol 
lowing  summer  brought  Burgoyne's  over 
whelming  invasion,  when  all  non-combatants 
departed  and  all  able-bodied  patriots  joined 
the  army.  Warner's  earnest  appeal  brought 
Josiah,  with  many  another,  to  the  defense 
of  the  fortress  which  he  had  helped  to  cap 
ture.  Burgoyne's  army  had  invested  the 
place,  and  it  was  now  well  known  that  if  he 
should  occupy  the  strangely  neglected  heights 
of  Sugar  Loaf  or  Mount  Defiance,  Ticon- 
deroga  would  be  at  his  mercy  ;  but  Gen 
eral  St.  Clair  hoped  that  an  assault  might 
be  decided  upon,  for  this  he  felt  confident 
he  could  repel. 

Upon  indications  that  guns   were  being 


HUBBARDTON  123 

hauled  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  a  coun 
cil  of  war  was  held,  and  it  was  decided  to 
evacuate  Ticonderoga  and  Mount  Independ 
ence.  Night  had  fallen ;  lanterns  twinkled 
on  the  crest  of  Mount  Defiance  like  stranded 
stars ;  shouts  of  command,  the  challenge  of 
sentinels,  the  rumble  of  gun  carriages,  could 
be  faintly  heard  coming  from  the  British 
lines ;  and  now  and  then  the  fierce  yell  of 
the  Indians,  more  fearful  than  the  panther's 
scream,  as  they  celebrated  some  preparatory 
rite  of  warfare. 

The  Continental  troops  were  outside  the 
walls  of  Ticonderoga,  some  already  within 
those  of  Independence ;  small  detachments 
crossed  the  long  floating  bridge,  and  order 
lies  hurried  to  and  fro.  In  the  laxness  of 
discipline  which  was  but  too  common  in  the 
Revolutionary  armies,  Josiah  was  wandering 
at  will,  listening  to  the  various  sounds  which 
came  from  the  British  lines  and  watching 
the  glimmering  lights  on  Mount  Defiance, 
when  he  heard  approaching  voices  and 
slipped  into  a  shadow  to  escape  observation 
and  so  unwittingly  became  an  eavesdropper. 

"  Yes,  the  troops  are  all  ready  to  move," 
said  one  voice. 


124  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  The  Yankees  of  the  Grants  are  all  in 
side  the  fort  ?  "  the  other  asked. 

"  All  but  Warner's,"  was  the  answer. 

"  They  're  likely  to  be  gobbled,"  said  the 
other  with  a  chuckle,  "  and  that  would  be 
an  easy  way  of  disposing  of  a  very  trouble 
some  element  and  make  matters  easier  for 
our  New  York  friends." 

"  Warner's  regiment  will  be  the  rear 
guard,  so  if  we  are  pursued  " 

"  Yes,  I  see  "  —  and  the  voices  passed  out 
of  hearing. 

Josiah  had  heard  enough  to  satisfy  him 
that  some  treachery  was  intended  against  his 
people,  and  went  at  once  to  the  gate,  where 
he  gave  the  countersign  and  was  admitted. 
Inquiring  for  Colonel  Robinson,  he  was  told 
that  officer  was  sick  and  could  not  be  seen. 
As  he  stood  at  the  door  of  the  quarters, 
contriving  some  means  of  giving  warning,  an 
officer  hastily  approached  it  with  a  pitcher 
of  water. 

"  Major,"  he  said,  "  I  want  tu  speak  tu 
the  colonel  'baout  suthin'  'at  consarns  him 
mightily  !  " 

"  Well,  what  is  it,"  the  officer  demanded 
curtly. 


HUBBARDTON  125 

"  I  can't  speak  on  't  here.  Le'  me  go 
inside." 

"  Come  in,  then,"  said  the  other  with  some 
show  of  annoyance,  after  eying  him  sharply. 
Josiah  followed  him  into  the  barrack  room, 
where  Colonel  Robinson  lay  on  a  pallet,  look 
ing  pale  and  distressed. 

"  Here 's  a  man  wants  to  speak  to  you, 
colonel,  an'  won't  take  '  No '  for  an  answer," 
said  the  major.  "  His  name  is  Hill  and  he 
belongs  to  Warner's  regiment." 

"  Well,  what  is  it,  my  man  ?  "  Robinson 
asked,  and  Josiah  told  what  he  had  over 
heard  in  the  fewest  words. 

"  By  God !  That  tallies  exactly  with  what 
I  've  just  seen !  "  the  major  blurted  out. 
"  Who  do  you  think  they  were  that  you 
overheard  ?  " 

"  I  would  n't  want  tu  swear  to  't,  but  I 
think  it  was  the  general  for  one ;  t'  other  I 
did  n't  know." 

"Well,  we'U  block  their  little  game," 
said  Robinson,  rising  painfully.  "  Major, 
let  the  men  be  paraded  under  arms,  with 
their  knapsacks.  Do  it  quietly.  I  'm 
obliged  to  you,  Hill,  and  won't  forget  it." 


126  A  DAXVIS   PIONEER 

The  regiment  was  soon  in  line  and  marched 
through  the  gate,  when,  after  a  brief  halt,  it 
took  its  way  toward  the  head  of  the  bridge. 

"  What  is  this  regiment  moving  without 
orders  for  ? "  General  St.  Clair  demanded 
hotly.  "  Halt,  battalion  !  " 

"  Battalion,  march  !  "  cried  Robinson.  "  It 
means,  sir,  that  we  're  not  to  be  caged  like 
rats." 

"  I  '11  order  you  fired  on,  if  you  don't 
halt,"  St.  Clair  stormed. 

"  Fire  and  be  damned  !  "  said  the  Puritan 
colonel.  "  Battalion,  prime  ;  load  ;  fix  bay 
onets  ;  shoulder  arms  ;  forward,  march  !  " 
and  the  regiment  marched  steadily  on  toward 
the  bridge,  while  other  troops  in  the  route 
moved  out  of  the  way. 

The  long  triple  column  of  un-uniformed 
militiamen  went  swaying  across  the  undulat 
ing  bridge,  Josiah  sticking  close  to  its  rear 
until  the  sharp  slope  of  Independence  was 
mounted,  when  the  regiment  was  halted 
near  Warner's,  in  which  our  straggler  took 
his  place. 

All  was  bustle  and  confusion,  men  singly 
and  in  squads  hurrying  in  all  directions  ; 


HUBBARDTON  127 

here  a  party  burying  blacksmith  tools  and 
intrenching  implements,  there  another  with 
teams  carting  bags  of  grain  from  store 
houses  and  emptying  them  into  fissures  of 
the  rocks,  and  now  the  main  army  came 
pouring  across  the  bridge,  through  the  fort 
and  out  upon  the  road  which  led  toward 
Castleton. 

They  had  nearly  all  effected  a  crossing, 
apparently  undiscovered  by  the  enemy, 
when  a  rattle-brained  Canadian  sutler  came 
running  bareheaded  to  a  wooden  house  in 
side  the  earthworks. 

"  Dat  damn  hoi'  Anglais'  he  an't  goin' 
gat  mah  haouse  !  No,  not  not'ing  in  it !  " 
he  cried,  lighting  a  torch  at  a  smouldering 
camp-fire  and  rushing  into  the  house. 

lie  threw  the  contents  of  a  straw  bed  upon 
the  floor,  thrust  the  torch  into  it,  and  in  a 
moment  the  building  was  in  a  blaze,  and  the 
insignificant  house  grew  into  a  tower  of  red 
fire.  The  mounting  flames  threw  a  lurid 
glare  over  everything,  revealing  the  scat 
tered  groups,  the  serried  ranks,  the  crowded 
bridge,  the  buff  and  blue  uniforms  of  the 
Continentals  waiting  at  the  further  end,  the 


128  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

gray  walls  of  the  fort,  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
still  floating  above  them,  and  the  disturbed 
lake  shimmering  in  the  fitful  glare  of  the 
conflagration. 

All  was  confusion  —  almost  rout  —  and 
this  was  increased  by  a  shot  from  Defiance 
whistling  through  space  and  plunging  into 
the  channel  at  the  base  of  the  cliff  of 
Mount  Independence  before  the  sullen  boom 
of  the  cannon's  report  shook  the  air. 

The  rattle  of  drums  calling  to  arms  ;  the 
shrill  screaming  of  the  fife,  the  blare  of 
bugles,  announced  the  beginning  of  pursuit 
by  Frazier's  British  regulars  and  Reidesel's 
Brunswickers.  The  forest-paled  road  was 
choked  with  crowding  troops  —  Continen 
tals,  Rangers,  and  militiamen  inextricably 
mixed  —  officers  shouting  and  cursing  in 
vain  endeavors  to  restore  order  out  of  chaos. 

Robinson's  regiment  struck  into  the  road, 
and  St.  Clair  again  threatened  to  fire  upon 
it.  There  was  an  ominous  cluck  of  cocked 
muskets  and  the  threat  was  not  executed. 
Warner's  coolness  and  commanding  pre 
sence  were  of  most  avail,  and  at  last  the 
column  fell  into  orderly  and  rapid  retreat, 


HUBBARDTON  129 

his  regiment  holding  Mount  Independence 
till  the  last  company  had  taken  its  route. 

Then,  as  the  timbers  of  the  burning  house 
fell  and  smouldered,  casting  fitful  gleams 
amid  intervals  of  gloom  upon  the  scene  of 
desertion  and  desolation,  the  brave  Green 
Mountain  Boys  took  up  their  dogged  retreat 
into  the  shadows  of  the  forest,  bitterly  curs 
ing  the  neglect  of  defenses  which  had  caused 
the  abandonment  of  the  stronghold  which 
but  two  years  before  they  had  wrested  from 
the  enemy. 

Arriving  at  Hubbardton,  the  weary  army 
halted  for  a  brief  rest.  When,  in  the  morn 
ing,  it  resumed  its  retreat,  Colonel  Warner 
was  left  with  his  own,  Herrick's,  and  Hale's 
regiments  to  occupy  the  position  until  all 
stragglers  had  come  in,  and  then  to  keep  one 
and  a  half  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  main 
army. 

"  There  is  my  fort,"  said  Tom  Torrey,  a 
man  of  middle  age  standing  next  to  Josiah 
in  the  ranks,  and  pointing  to  a  neat  log 
house  in  the  midst  of  a  new  farm  ;  "  an'  I 
hope  the  garrison  's  left  it.  No,  by  George !  " 
he  continued  anxiously,  after  a  moment  of 


130  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

intent  watching.  "  Their  flag  's  a-flyin' 
yet,"  as  he  saw  the  smoke  flaunting  from 
the  chimney.  "It  hain't  no  place  for  a 
womern  an'  childern  naow.  I  don't  see  why 
they  hain't  cleared  aout !  " 

Warner's  and  Francis'  regiments  drew 
up  in  line  of  battle  across  the  road  and  the 
adjoining  fields,  taking  advantage  of  every 
sheltering  tree  and  log  heap  that  offered. 
Hale's  regiment,  however,  drew  off  and  gave 
no  help. 

Heralded  by  the  shriek  of  fifes  and  the 
sharp  rattle  of  brass  drums  that  shook  the 
woods  with  quick  reverberation,  Frazier's 
troops  came  marching  down  the  road  in  gal 
lant  array,  and  deployed  in  line  opposite  the 
Americans.  The  latter  at  once  opened  fire, 
every  gun  leveled  with  that  deadly  precision 
of  aim  which  was  the  constant  complaint  of 
the  English.  Their  fire  was  returned  with 
less  effect,  for  the  aimless  bullets  hurtled 
over  the  heads  of  the  Americans,  and  there 
were  ghastly  gaps  in  the  line  where  scarlet 
coats  and  white  cross-belts  were  such  fair 
targets. 

"See  if  that  red  rooster  drops  when  I 


HUBBARDTON  131 

fire  !  "  said  Torrey  to  Josiali,  and  aimed  at 
a  British  major  who  stood  upon  a  great 
stump  reconnoitering  the  position  of  the 
Americans.  At  the  report  of  the  rifle  the 
brave  officer  fell  headlong  from  his  perch. 
"  Lord  forgive  me  !  That 's  tew  much  like 
murder  !  "  Torrey  cried,  in  swift  contrition 
for  the  deed.  "  I  shall  ketch  it  tu  pay  for 
that !  " 

"  They  come  here  tu  kill  us,  an'  if  we  git 
the  fust  chance  it  is  aour  good  luck,"  Jo- 
siah  said.  "  You  hain't  done  no  more  'n 
your  duty." 

Torrey  shook  his  head.  "I  shall  ketch 
it  afore  the  fight 's  over.  You  '11  see.  An' 
what 's  goin'  tu  become  o'  my  poor  womern 
an'  childern  's  more  'n  I  know.  Josier  Hill, 
you  promise  me  if  you  git  aout  o'  this  alive 
you  '11  go  up  tu  that  haouse  an'  git  'em 
away  an'  safe  inside  of  aour  lines.  Will 
ye?" 

"  Nonsense  !  You  '11  come  aout  o'  this 
all  right,"  said  Josiah,  trying  to  make  light 
of  the  other's  forebodings. 

But  Torrey  shook  his  head  sadly.  "  No, 
I  'm  sure  on  't  as  I  be  I  see  you,  an'  you 


132  A  DAN  VIS  PIONEER 

must  promise  me  tu  ta'  keer  on  'em.  Pro 
mise  ! " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  promise  —  if  you  don't  come 
aout  all  right." 

"  Thank  ye,  an'  gi'  me  your  hand  on  't," 
said  Torrey,  stretching  forth  his  hand  as 
they  left  their  comer  to  move  forward. 

The  forest  shuddered  with  sharp  echoes, 
the  spiteful  crack  of  rifles,  the  sullen  roar 
of  volleyed  musketry,  the  shrieks  and  groans 
of  wounded  men. 

The  British  line  wavered,  then  broke  un 
der  the  galling  fire,  and  fell  back  until  it 
received  the  support  of  Reidesel's  advan 
cing  Brunswickers.  Still  the  Americans 
pushed  gallantly  onward  until  victory  seemed 
almost  attained,  when  their  Colonel  Fran 
cis,  though  sorely  wounded,  yet  leading  his 
regiment  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  fell, 
pierced  by  a  mortal  wound. 

At  that  a  sudden  panic  swept  the  Ameri 
cans  into  confusion  and  retreat.  In  vain 
Warner  commanded,  entreated,  led  on. 
Then  realizing  the  hopelessness  of  it  all,  he 
sank  down  upon  a  log  and  poured  out  a 
storm  of  curses  after  the  scurrying  rout. 


HUBBARDTON  133 

Quickly  recovering  his  self-control,  he  called 
loudly  to  his  men  to  rally  at  Castleton,  and 
himself  vanished  in  the  maze  of  the  woods. 
St.  Glair,  only  six  miles  away,  heard  the 
battle  raging,  yet  moved  not  to  the  rescue 
of  his  brave  subordinate. 


CHAPTER  X 

RUBY 

IT  was  every  one  for  himself  now,  and  Jo- 
siah,  taking  advantage  of  every  sheltering 
tree  trunk,  had  scarcely  noticed  the  absence 
of  his  comrade,  when  he  almost  stumbled 
over  him  lying  among  the  rank  ferns  in  the 
hollow  of  a  cradle  knoll.  The  blood  was 
streaming  from  a  wound  in  the  breast,  his 
life  quickly  going  with  it. 

"  You  see !  "  he  gasped,  as  Josiah  dropped 
beside  him.  "Remember  —  ta'  keer  —  of 
-  Hanner  —  an'  Ruby  an'  the  rest.  Good- 
by,"  and  his  spirit  passed. 

Josiah  knelt  a  moment  beside  the  dead 
man,  then  composed  the  stiffening  limbs, 
laid  the  hat  over  the  motionless  face,  and 
stole  away  to  more  secure  hiding  until 
the  flush  of  pursuit  and  pillage  was  over. 
Then  keeping  the  cover  of  woods,  fences,  and 
inequalities  of  the  ground,  he  made  toward 


EUBY  135 

Torrey's  house,  approaching  it  cautiously 
from  the  rear. 

There  was  no  sign  of  life  to  be  seen  about 
it,  and  it  was  only  when  he  drew  quite  near 
that  he  heard  the  sound  of  suppressed  weep 
ing.  Looking  in  at  the  door  a  sad  sight  met 
his  eyes.  The  dead  body  of  a  woman  lay 
upon  the  floor,  the  disheveled  head  lying  in 
a  pool  of  blood  that  oozed  from  a  scalp 
wound  and  cleft  skull,  the  savage  sign  of 
Indian  slaughter.  Beside  it,  crouched  in  an 
attitude  of  grief  and  despair,  was  a  girl  of 
eighteen,  silent  and  tearless,  her  soft  dark 
eyes  denied  the  relief  of  tears,  while  she 
suppressed  the  piteous  lamentations  of  four 
younger  brothers  and  sisters. 

"My  gal,"  said  Josiah  gently,  making 
his  presence  known.  She  looked  up  with 
a  startled,  hunted  look.  "Is  it  your  mo 
ther  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  answered. 

"  And  you  are  Tom  Torrey's  family  ?  " 

"Yes.  The  Indians  killed  mother  this 
morning.  I  hid  the  children  under  the 
washtubs  in  the  cellar  and  myself  behind 
the  chimbley.  They  tried  to  burn  the 


136  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

house,  an'  I  put  it  aout.     They  killed  the 
cow  an'  pig,  an'  took  everything." 

The  body  of  the  murdered  mother  was 
placed  in  a  hastily  prepared  grave,  a  rude 
burial  lacking  in  all  form  of  service,  but  not 
in  solemnity. 

Josiah  now  lost  no  time  in  leading  away 
his  sorrowful  charge  by  the  most  secret  ways 
that  tended  toward  the  shifting  frontier, 
where  comparative  safety  was  to  be  found. 

The  Indians  had  plundered  and  destroyed 
everything  in  the  house,  except  a  little 
meal  and  a  few  pounds  of  salt  pork,  which 
had  escaped  their  notice.  These  Josiah  put 
in  his  knapsack,  and  when,  at  nightfall,  he 
made  camp  for  the  homeless  orphans  in  a 
dense  thicket  of  evergreens,  where  he  ven 
tured  to  kindle  a  small  fire,  he  set  forth  the 
scant  rations.  He  mixed  the  meal  with 
water  in  a  vessel  of  birch  bark,  and  saw 
Ruby  Torrey  spread  it  with  housewifely 
care  —  though  she  protested  it  would  be 
good  for  nothing  without  salt  —  on  a  johnny- 
cake  board  which  he  hewed  out  with  his 
ranger's  tomahawk. 

"When  d'ye  s'pose  we'll  see  father?" 


RUBY  137 

she  asked,  looking  up  at  him  from  her  task 
and  not  a  little  confused  to  find  his  sharp 
gray  eyes  fixed  steadily  upon  her. 

"  See  your  father  ?  "  he  repeated,  start 
ing  as  if  from  a  dream.  "  I  do'  know  —  I 
can't  teU  ye." 

"  Is  there  anything  the  matter  with 
him  ? "  she  asked  with  a  searching  look, 
and  a  white  pallor  upon  her  face.  "  You  'd 
better  tell  me  true." 

"  You  've  be'n  a  brave  gal,  Euby,  an' 
you  must  keep  on  bein'  one,"  said  he,  strug 
gling  to  swallow  a  choking  lump  in  his 
throat.  "  Oh,  my  poor  gal !  Your  father 
was  killed  in  the  fight  to-day  !  I  promised 
him,  the  last  word  he  heared,  I  'd  ta'  keer 
on  ye  —  you  and  your  brothers  an'  sisters 
an'  your  mother  —  we  didn't  know  'baout 
her  —  but  he  's  with  her  now.  I  '11  keep  my 
promise  faithful,  Kuby." 

She  bowed  her  face  upon  her  knees  in 
grief  too  great  for  tears,  until  she  felt  a 
rough  hand  laid  gently  upon  her  head,  when 
she  wept  silently.  She  drew  the  children 
to  her  and  soothed  their  sobbing,  but  Jo- 
siah  checked  it  more  effectually  with  the 
admonition :  — 


138  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  You  must  n't  make  no  n'ise  or  them 
praowlin'  divils  '11  ketch  us,"  and  presently 
got  them  engaged  with  the  johnnycake  and 
frizzled  pork,  and  then  to  sleep  on  fragrant 
beds  of  hemlock. 

"  I  guess  I  '11  resk  a  flash  more  of  fire," 
he  said,  and  carefully  mended  the  flicker 
ing  blaze.  "  The  Injins  won't  be  a-shoolin' 
'raound  much  afore  the  crack  o'  day." 

He  bent  his  ear  to  catch  a  faint  tremu 
lous  wail  borne  from  far  away  on  a  waft  of 
night  breeze  —  a  sound  too  elusive  for  the 
girl's  less  trained  sense.  The  shrug  —  that 
was  his  silent  recognition  of  it  —  was  al 
most  a  shudder,  for  he  knew  it  was  the 
rallying  cry  of  the  wolves,  gathering  to  the 
battlefield. 

"  You  must  eat  a  mou'ful,"  he  said,  prof 
fering  a  morsel  of  johnnycake  and  a  slice 
of  pork,  carefully  frizzled  over  the  coals. 
"  Yes,  you  got  tu,"  he  urged.  "  You  '11 
want  all  the  strength  you  can  muster  tu- 
rnorrer." 

She  took  the  food,  wondering  to  find  her 
self  yielding  such  ready  obedience  to  him. 
He  assigned  to  her  a  bed  of  twigs  beside 


RUBY  139 

the  sleeping  children,  and  covered  her  with 
his  blanket,  saying :  "  Naow  sleep  saound, 
for  I  got  tu  wake  you  afore  the  young  uns 
an'  talk  over  tilings."  The  last  she  saw  be 
tween  lids  that  weariness  closed,  in  spite  of 
the  pain  of  grief,  was  the  silent,  motionless 
form  of  her  protector  sitting  in  the  fading 
firelight  in  intent  abstraction,  with  his  rifle 
across  his  knees. 

Objects  were  becoming  dimly  denned  in 
the  light  of  dawn,  when  the  girl  was  awak 
ened  by  Josiah's  voice,  sounding  as  strange 
and  unfamiliar  as  her  surroundings  looked, 
until  with  a  sharp  pang  she  realized  that  yes 
terday's  events  were  not  a  frightful  dream. 

"I  want  tu  talk  tu  you  a  minute  afore 
the  children  wakes  up,"  he  said,  speaking 
low ;  and  she  arose  and  sat  down  near  the 
freshly  kindled  fire.  "  I  gin  your  father  my 
word,  an'  him  a-dyin',  'at  I  'd  ta'  keer  on 
ye  faithful,"  he  began  abruptly,  looking 
straight  into  her  sad  dark  eyes  ;  "  an'  I'm 
a-goin'  tu,  fur  as  I  can.  It  hain't  alone 
from  keepin'  your  body  from  bein'  hurt,  but 
your  good  name,  an'  a  gal  can't  go  traipsin' 
'raound  the  country  wi'  a  man  'at  hain't 


140  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

nothin'  tu  her  by  blood  nor  noways  wi'- 
aout  that  bein'  hurt ;  so  I  've  got  tu  marry 
you,  the  fust  square  or  minister  we  light 
on." 

"Oh,  I  can't!  I — I  don't  want  tu," 
she  gasped,  all  in  a  tremble,  and  pale  and 
red  by  turns. 

"  I  do'  want  tu  nuther,"  he  said  in  blunt 
honesty.  "  I  never  thought  tu  come  to 't, 
but  I  got  tu,  an'  so  we  got  tu  make  the  best 
on  't.  Naow  we  '11  eat  what  we  've  got  an' 
be  off." 

The  children  were  aroused  and  fed,  and 
the  party  set  forth  by  such  routes  as  were 
likely  to  be  clear  of  the  enemy,  but  did  not 
always  prove  so.  More  than  once  they  dis 
covered,  just  in  time  to  avoid  being  discov 
ered  themselves,  a  squad  of  British  or  Ger 
man  soldiers  in  quest  of  prisoners  or  booty, 
or  driving  a  small  herd  of  cattle  that  the 
fleeing  settlers  had  been  obliged  to  leave 
behind. 

Once,  as  they  were  hurrying  along  a  dark 
and  obscure  forest  path,  the  soft  patter  of 
rapid  footsteps  was  heard  behind  them.  Jo- 
siah  pushed  the  children  into  a  thicket,  drew 


RUBY  141 

Ruby  to  one  side  and  made  her  crouch  be 
hind  a  huge  log,  and  sheltered  himself  behind 
a  tree,  where  he  peered  cautiously  down  the 
path. 

"  Injins  !  —  six  on  'em  —  trackin'  us  !  " 
he  whispered  back  to  her.  Then  quickly 
filling  his  horn  charger,  and  handing  it  to 
her  with  a  bullet  and  patch,  said,  "Hold 
these  'ere  till  I  want  'em." 

He  resumed  his  scarcely  interrupted 
watch  of  the  approaching  enemy,  now  coin 
ing  rapidly  up  the  path,  with  eager  glances 
divided  between  the  tracks  of  the  fugitives 
and  a  search  forward  for  the  fugitives  them 
selves.  He  covered  the  breast  of  the  leader 
with  a  careful  aim,  and  pulled  trigger  at 
the  first  moment  that  the  next  Indian  came 
directly  in  the  line  of  fire.  The  foremost 
fell  headlong  at  the  report,  the  second  stag 
gered  and  sank  to  the  ground,  while  his  gun 
searched  blindly  for  an  aim  at  the  unseen 
foe,  and  those  who  followed  vanished  in  the 
cover  of  the  woods  quicker  than  the  thin 
smoke  of  the  rifle  dissolved  in  the  air. 

In  the  same  instant  Josiah  turned  and 
took  the  charger  from  Ruby's  ready  hand, 


142  A  DANVIS   PIONEER 

emptied  it  in  the  muzzle  of  the  rifle,  then 
took  patch  and  ball  and  rammed  them  down, 
primed  the  pan,  cocked  the  piece,  and  was 
closely  scanning  the  cover  for  another  target. 
What  he  first  discovered  was  the  entry 
of  a  new  actor,  a  strong,  tall  man  on  horse 
back,  but  evidently  not  a  belligerent,  for  he 
was  dressed  in  the  plain  garb  of  a  Quaker, 
not  so  noticeable  in  those  days  for  its  cut  as 
for  its  drab  color  and  the  broad-brimmed, 
uncocked  hat.  Furthermore,  he  carried  no 
arms  of  any  sort,  but  only  the  spiked  Jacob- 
staff,  then  in  use  by  land  surveyors,  and 
which  he  bore  upon  his  shoulder,  while  the 
compass  was  strapped  in  a  case  behind  his 
saddle.  Nevertheless  the  Indians  seemed 
to  consider  him  legitimate  prey,  for  the 
hindmost  of  them  aimed  his  gun  at  him, 
changing  front  in  doing  so  and  exposing 
himself  to  the  fire  of  Josiah,  but  trusting 
to  his  three  remaining  comrades  to  guard 
his  rear.  Fortunately  for  the  man  of  peace, 
the  priming  of  the  Indian's  gun  flashed  in 
the  pan,  and  he,  assured  that  the  horse 
man  was  unarmed,  dropped  the  firelock  and 
rushed  upon  him  with  uplifted  tomahawk. 


RUBY  143 

"  Ta'  keer  my  staff  don't  come  down  on 
thy  head  an'  hurt  thee  —  it 's  mortal  heavy  !  " 
the  surveyor  said  in  a  calm,  cautionary  tone, 
as  his  bridle  rein  was  violently  seized,  and 
even  as  he  spoke  the  ironshod  oaken  staff 
fell  with  stunning  force  on  the  naked  head 
of  his  assailant,  who  dropped  in  limp  col 
lapse  almost  under  the  hoofs  of  the  horse. 

The  surveyor  slipped  nimbly  from  the 
saddle,  and  turning  the  inert  body  face 
downward  quickly  tied  the  hands  behind  his 
back  with  a  cord  that  he  drew  from  his 
pocket.  Then  he  drew  the  knife  from  its 
sheath  and  cast  it  and  the  tomahawk  far 
into  the  undergrowth,  and,  picking  up  the 
gun,  made  it  useless  with  a  few  sturdy  strokes 
upon  the  trunk  of  the  nearest  tree. 

"  Thee  might  be  tempted  to  do  a  mischief 
with  thy  carnal  weapons,"  he  remarked  ;  and 
then,  noticing  that  the  Indian  was  beginning 
to  show  signs  of  returning  consciousness,  he 
turned  him  to  a  more  comfortable  posture, 
in  spite  of  which  the  latter  kicked  and  strug 
gled  violently  to  loosen  his  bonds.  "  Thee  's 
brought  this  all  on  thyself,  friend,"  said  the 
Quaker  in  a  tone  of  mild  reproof,  "  and 


144  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

thee  'd  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  thyself  for 
tacklin'  one  that  never  done  harm  to  thee 
or  thine.  Now  thee  'd  better  try  to  get  into 
the  quiet,  whilst  thee  waits  for  thy  folks  to 
come  to  thee." 

With  this  admonition  he  left  him,  and 
taking  up  his  jacobstaff,  led  his  horse  along 
the  path.  Suddenly  he  came  upon  the 
bodies  of  the  Indians  who  had  been  brought 

O 

down  by  Josiah's  bullets  —  one  stark  dead, 
the  other  at  the  last  gasp  —  and  stood  still, 
wondering  at  the  ghastly  sight.  The  other 
Indians  were  seized  with  a  panic  at  the  un 
expected  issue  of  the  attack  on  the  unarmed 
Quaker,  following  so  quickly  the  fall  of  their 
comrades,  and  skulked  away  with  all  speed. 

Josiah  suspected  this  when  no  further  at 
tack  was  made  on  the  surveyor,  and,  when 
he  displayed  the  lure  of  his  empty  hat  crown 
very  temptingly  without  drawing  their  fire, 
was  assured  of  it,  and  stepped  forth  from 
cover  to  congratulate  his  old  acquaintance, 
Benjamin  Ferris,  who  upon  seeing  him,  but 
not  yet  recognizing  him,  asked,  pointing  to 
the  dead  Indians,  — 

"  Is  this  some  of  thy  work  ?  " 


RUBY  145 

"  Yes,  an'  a  good  job,  tew,"  Josiah  an 
swered,  with  some  pride.  "  Both  tu  one 
shot." 

"  It 's  bloody  work,"  said  the  surveyor, 
shaking  his  head.  "  I  can't  bear  to  look  at 
it.  Let's  go  away  from  here." 

"  It  was  that  or  my  scalp,  an'  a  young 
womern's  an'  four  childern." 

"  Maybe  so,  but  thee  'd  better  done  as  I 
done,"  the  Quaker  said,  still  shaking  his 
head  solemnly. 

"  You  done  well,  Mr.  Ferris,  but  if  that 
divil's  gun  hed  n't  missed,  you  never  'd  run 
another  line." 

"  What !  does  thee  know  me  ?  Why,  I 
do  believe  thee  's  the  young  man  that  bought 
one  of  Nicholas'  rights  of  land  from  some 
body  that  did  n't  own  it.  Yes,  and  Hill'  s 
thy  name.  Well,  I  've  just  been  up  that 
way  to  do  a  little  surveying,  but  everything 
is  so  unsettled,  and  there 's  nobody  there 
but  now  and  then  a  Tory  ;  so  I  'm  gettin' 
back  to  Oblong  as  fast  as  I  can.  But  who 
did  thee  say  is  with  thee  ?  " 

Josiah  told  him  the  sad  story  of  the  Tor- 
reys. 


146  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  Poor  things  !  Poor  things  !  "  Benjamin 
sighed,  with  pitying  eyes  upon  the  orphans, 
and  casting  about  for  some  way  of  helping 
them.  "I'll  tell  thee  what,  Josiah,  I  '11 
take  the  young  woman  behind  me  —  she  's 
in  the  most  danger  —  and  the  youngest  gal 
afore  me  —  she  's  the  least  able  to  go  afoot 
—  and  get  'em  inside  our  lines  as  quick  as  I 
can.  I  reckon  our  folks  hold  Manchester, 
and  if  they  do  I  know  a  good  woman  there 
that  '11  take  'em  in.  Wheeler  is  her  name, 
and  she  lives  in  the  north  end  of  the  village, 
and  thee  can't  miss  her." 

Josiah  was  loath  to  give  up  any  part  of 
his  charge  to  another's  care,  but  it  seemed 
the  wiser  way  ;  and  so,  sadly  parting,  Ruby 
and  her  little  sister  rode  away  with  the  good 
surveyor. 

Josiah  smashed  the  guns  of  the  dead  In 
dians,  upon  whose  ghastly  faces  the  children 
gazed  with  fascinated  horror,  each  eager  to 
see,  and  yet  be  furthest  from  them. 

"  See  !  See  !  "  cried  one,  and  Josiah's  eyes 
followed  the  pointing  finger  just  in  time  to 
see  the  Quaker's  late  adversary  sneaking 
into  the  forest  maze,  stooping  low  with 


RUBY  147 

bound  hands  behind  his  back.  The  ranger's 
rifle  instantaneously  sought  an  aim,  but 
failed  to  find  it  on  the  vanishing  figure. 

"  Wai,  go  it,  an'  good  reddance  tu  ye ; 
but  if  I  'd  hed  the  handlin'  on  ye  you'  d  be 
as  harmless  as  your  mates  here." 

He  forthwith  got  his  little  troop  on  the 
march,  and  now  encouraging  the  youngest 
by  an  hour's  ride  astride  his  shoulders,  and 
giving  the  others  a  helping  hand,  he  got 
beyond  the  advance  of  the  enemy  without 
further  adventure,  and  at  nightfall  of  the 
next  day  came  to  Manchester. 

He  had  no  trouble  in  finding  the  house 
to  which  Benjamin  Ferris  had  directed  him, 
where  he  also  found  that  good  man  still 
tarrying  with  Ruby  and  her  little  sister. 
The  one  neat  room  was  presided  over  by  a 
brisk  little  brunette  matron,  whose  dark 
eyes  and  ruddy  cheeks  looked  familiar  to 
Josiah. 

"  Oh-h-h !  "  she  cried,  after  a  long,  intent 
look  at  the  new-come  guest.  "It  ees  M'sieu 
Josi.  An't  you  rem'ber  Mathilde  —  Pierre 
some  tarn  ?  Dat  is  me,  an'  mah  Deek  he 
was  go  wid  de  harmy.  Ah  'ope  'ee  come 


148  A  DANVIS   PIONEER 

back  to  me  an'  hees  boy.  See  la  petit 
Deck  ?  "  and  she  showed  with  pride  a  minia 
ture  counterpart  of  Dick  Wheeler.  "  An' 
you,  M'sieu  Josi,  was  dat  yo'  famile  ?  " 

"  No,  but  they  're  goin'  tu  be,"  said  he. 
"  Father  an'  mother  both  dead  an'  left  'em 
on  my  hands.  I  want  tu  leave  'em  wi'  you 
till  I  can  captur'  a  pa'son  or  a  square." 

"  It 's  very  proper  you  two  should  be  mar 
ried,"  said  Benjamin.  "  And  it  's  a  pity 
you  wa'n't  members  among  Friends,  an'  so 
not  be  pestered  with  magistrates  or  hirelin' 
priests,  but  marry  yourselves  in  the  presence 
of  your  Heavenly  Father,  which  seems  most 
solemn,  sensible,  an'  fittin'  way." 

But  as  this  was  not  feasible,  Josiah  went 
out  in  quest  of  some  one  competent  to  per 
form  the  office,  and  found  a  clergyman, 
whom  he  brought  forthwith  to  Mathilde's 
house,  when  the  ceremony  was  duly  per 
formed.  Friend  Ferris  was  greatly  grieved 
that  the  strict  discipline  of  his  society  would 
not  permit  him  to  be  present  at  the  mar 
riage,  and  that  he  was  obliged  to  stand  out 
of  doors  during  the  ceremony  ;  but  he  would 
peep  in  at  the  window. 


RUBY  149 

So  after  this  brief  and  unique  courtship, 
Josiah  Hill  became,  against  his  will,  a  mar 
ried  man  ;  yet  he  never  regretted  it.  When, 
many  years  later,  he  sat  by  her  deathbed  in 
their  Daiivis  home,  he  took  her  wrinkled 
hand  in  his  own,  and  with  unwonted  tender 
ness  said,  — 

"  I  hated  the  idee  o'  bein'  merried,  Ruby ; 
but  if  I  'd  hunted  the  wide  world  over,  I 
could  n't  ha'  faound  a  better  womern  'an  I 
got,  for  there  hain't  one  in  it  faithfuller  ner 
truer  'n  what  you  've  be'n." 

And  she  answered,  with  love  lighting  her 
dimmed  eyes,  "  You  've  allus  be'n  a  good 
man  tu  me,  father." 


CHAPTER   XI 

A   CURIOUS   BIT   OF   HISTORY 

JOSIAH  found  part  of  his  regiment  at 
Manchester,  and  there,  also,  not  long  after, 
detachments  began  to  arrive  from  Charles- 
town,  whence  General  John  Stark  was  send 
ing  them  forward  as  fast  as  they  could  be 
supplied  with  their  "  much-needed  articles  : 
rum,  kettles,  and  bullets."  Then,  disregard 
ing  General  Schuyler's  order  to  join  him, 
Stark  marched  as  far  as  Bennington,  where 
he  encamped  at  the  request  of  the  Vermont 
Committee  of  Safety,  and  so  was  ready  to 
repel  Baum's  attempt  to  seize  the  public 
stores  there. 

Warner  was  with  Stark,  but  the  remnant 
of  his  regiment  in  which  Josiah  Hill  was  re 
mained  at  Manchester  under  command  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Safford.  Therefore  Jo 
siah  had  no  part  in  the  first  conflict  of  that 
memorable  day,  which,  though  the  troops 


A  CURIOUS  BIT  OF  HISTORY       151 

were  insignificant  in  numbers,  was  one  of 
the  decisive  battles  of  the  world,  for  it  sealed 
the  fate  of  Burgoyne's  army. 

The  Hessian  redoubt,  made  upon  the  hill 
with  infinite  labor  in  a  pouring  deluge  and 
the  smothering  heat  of  dog-day  weather,  was 
stormed  by  the  raw  Yankee  militia  with 
their  bayonetless  guns  against  the  well-ap 
pointed,  trained  veterans,  who  were  slain 
and  captured  till  but  few  were  left  to  be 
routed.  Their  Tory  allies  suffered  as  over 
whelming  a  defeat,  the  Indians  fled  yelping 
from  woods  that  were  alive  with  terrible 
Yankee  marksmen,  the  day  was  won,  and 
the  victors  scattered  far  over  the  field  to 
gather  the  spoils  of  war.  Then,  when  no 
one  suspected  the  coming  of  an  enemy, 
there  arose  a  martial  din  of  fifes  and  drums, 
and  Breyman's  fresh  troops  came  marching 
along  the  miry  highway  with  two  fieldpieces 
belching  fire  and  smoke  and  hurtling  show 
ers  of  grape  from  their  brazen  throats. 

The  scattered  Yankees  gathered  in  squads 
to  meet  them,  but  were  forced  to  fall  back, 
until  Warner's  battalion,  hurried  on  from 
Manchester  by  Safford,  stood  like  a  strong 


152  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

tower  to  shelter  them.     Now  the  dispersed 
militiamen  rallied  and  poured  deadly  volleys 
upon  the  red  ranks  of  Hessians  ;    riflemen 
swarmed  like  hornets  in  the  woods  on  their 
flanks,  and  every  bullet  struck  its  living  tar 
get.     Again  the   Plessians  were  routed, — 
their  cannon  were  abandoned,  hub-deep  in 
the   mire ;    their    brave    colonel,    mortally 
wounded,  was  taken  with  many  of  his  sol 
diers  ;  many  were  dead  and  more  wounded. 
As  the  shadows  of  night  fell  and  a  halt  of 
the  pursuers  was  called,  Josiah  Hill,  stand 
ing  among  the  foremost,  was  thankful  to  be 
one  of  those  to  retrieve  Hubbardton's  day 
of  disaster.     Next  day,  as  he  was  strolling 
over  the  battle-ground,  he  was  accosted  by  a 
little  gray-bearded  man,  begrimed  with  pow 
der  smoke.     The  half-dried  corn  husk  in  his 
hat  proclaimed  him  to  be  one  of  yesterday's 
assailants  of  the  redoubt.     There  was,  more 
over,  something  familiar  in  the  toothless  grin 
of  greeting  when  he  shouted :  — 

"  Why,   boy,   have    you    forgot  your  oF 
mate,  Sir  Ken  elm  Dalrymple?     An'  who've 
you  got  tu  be,  not  tu  know  ol'  friends  ?  " 
There  was  much  for  them  to  talk  of,  but 


A  CURIOUS  BIT  OF  HISTORY       153 

of  all  the  news  Kenelm  heard,  nothing  as 
tonished  him  so  much  as  Josiah's  marriage. 
"  Oh,  boy,  boy  !  "  he  sighed,  "  that  come  o' 
my  not  stayin'  with  ye  !  " 

Strolling  about  among  the  prisoners,  they 
saw  in  one  group  of  Tories  a  tall,  lank  fel 
low,  who  kept  his  hat  drawn  over  his  black 
brow. 

"D'ye  know  this  ol'  friend?"  said  Ke 
nelm,  as  going  slyly  behind  the  fellow  he 
twitched  off  the  hat  and  revealed  the  sanc 
timonious  visage  of  Anthony  Capron.  "  I 
wish  they  'd  turn  him  over  tu  us,"  said 
Kenelm,  "  but  they  've  got  a  nice  pen  built 
to  fat  such  swine  in  —  an'  won't  they  git  fat, 
though?" 

Josiah  had  his  desire  of  revenge  more 
fully  gratified  when,  during  the  deep  snows 
of  the  following  winter,  he,  being  now  a  ser 
geant,  received  the  following  order  :  — 

January  12,  1778. 

To  CAPT.  SAM'L  ROBINSON,  OVERSEER  OF 

TORIES  : 

You  are  hereby  required  to  Detach  Ten 
effective  men  under  your  Command  with 


154  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

proper  officers  to  take  charge  and  March 
them  in  Two  Distinct  files  from  this  place 
through  the  Green  Mountains  to  Col.  Win. 
Williams'  Dwelling  house  in  Draper  Alias 
Wilmington  within  this  State,  who  are  to 
March  &  Tread  the  Snow  in  Sd.  Road  to 
suitable  width  for  a  Sleigh  or  Sleighs  with  a 
Span  of  Horses  on  Each  Sleigh,  and  order 
them  to  return  Marching  in  Same  manner 
to  this  place  with  all  convenient  Speed,  By 
order  of  Council,  JONAS  FAY,  V.  P. 

N.  B.  You  are  to  order  3  days  pro 
visions  to  each  of  such  men  &  the  same  to 
be  cooked  this  day  &  to  March  at  6  o'clock 
to-morrow  morning. 

Attest:  JOSEPH  FAY,  Sec'y- 

JONAS  FAY,  V.  P. 

To  this  was  appended  this  order  :  — 

To  Sargeant  Josiah  Hill,  you  are  here 
by  ordered  to  execute  the  within,  and  make 
due  return  thereof. 

SAM'L  ROBINSON,  Overseer  of  Tories. 

Accompanied  by  a  guard,  Josiah  went  at 
once  to  the  prison  which  had  been  specially 


A  CURIOUS  BIT  OF  HISTORY       155 

built  for  the  confinement  of  Tories.  It  was 
a  double-walled  log  house,  the  space  between 
the  walls  being  filled  with  earth,  and  the 
place  provided  with  an  ample  palisaded  yard 
for  the  exercise  of  the  prisoners,  for  they 
were  treated  with  due  regard  to  their  health 
in  this  respect,  and  wholesome  food  was  pro 
vided,  as  may  be  gathered  from  an  order 
to  furnish  them  "a  wagon  load  of  sauce," 
presumably  garden  vegetables,  which  is  still 
"  garden  sass  "  in  the  parlance  of  old-fash 
ioned  folk.  Josiah  handed  the  order  to  the 
keeper,  who  gave  him  a  list  of  the  prisoners, 
and  he  proceeded  to  make  the  required  draft. 
"  Naow,  men,  I  'm  tu  give  ten  on  ye  a' 
strornary  chance  tu  limber  up  your  laigs  an' 
git  a  maou'ful  o'  fresh  air,"  he  said,  address 
ing  the  motley  crowd.  "  Don't  holler  for  a 
chance,  'cause  I  can't  take  only  sech  as  is 
suited  for  the  business.  Anthony  Capron, 
step  aout.  Long-laigged  an'  big-footed,  you 
're  built  to  order,  ezackly.  Abram  Bennet, 
step  aout.  Hot-tempered  they  say  you  be 
-  stubbed,  you  sartinly  be.  You  '11  du. 
Peter  Bell,  step  aout.  You  're  gittin'  tew 
logy,  an'  some  o'  your  fat  needs  workin'  off." 


156  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

So  lie  went  on  until  the  tally  was  com 
pleted,  the  men  wondering  on  what  disa 
greeable  service  they  were  detailed.  They 
were  not  long  in  doubt  nor  well  pleased 
when  they  were  set  to  trampling  and  wal 
lowing  through  the  deep  snow,  when,  if  one 
lagged  or  shirked  the  foremost  place,  when 
it  fell  to  his  turn,  he  got  the  prick  of  a  bay 
onet,  while  the  guard  marched  comfortably 
in  the  beaten  track  at  the  rear. 

"  Capron,  I  'm  a-cal'latin'  for  you  tu  hev 
you  work  aout  what  you  owe  me  at  tew  shil- 
lin'  a  day,"  said  Josiah,  as  the  other,  short 
of  breath  and  weary  of  limb,  took  his  turn  at 
the  rear  of  the  file.  "  Le'  me  see,  twenty- 
five  paound  York  moneyed  be  five  hunderd 
shillin',  tew  '11  go  in  that  tew  hunderd  and 
fifty  times.  By  the  Lord  Harry,  one  winter 
hain't  long  enough.  AVal,  I  owe  you  suthin' 
for  takin'  that  gal  off'm  my  hands." 

Anthony  Capron  thought  when  he  was 
back  again  in  the  Tory  prison,  with  every 
muscle  sore  and  every  bone  aching,  after 
three  days  of  wading  through  the  snow,  that 
he  was  not  very  deeply  in  debt  to  the  man 
he  had  swindled. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   SMOOTH   BOEE 

JOSIAH  served  in  one  or  another  of  the 
Vermont  regiments  until  the  end  of  the  war, 
and  was  retired  from  the  service  with  the 
rank  of  captain.  He  bought  a  right  of 
land  under  a  Vermont  charter  in  the  then 
ahnost  uninhabited  township  of  Danvis,  and 
again  began  pioneer  life  in  the  heart  of  a 
wilderness. 

Again  the  quick  resonant  strokes  of  his 
axe  were  echoed  from  side  to  side  of  a  wid 
ening  clearing.  He  rejoiced  in  the  conquest 
of  the  forest  giants,  venerable  patriarchs, 
concerning  whose  fate  he  felt  no  sentimen 
tal  emotion.  He  let  a  flood  of  sunlight 
down  upon  fresh  acres  of  virgin  soil,  and  out 
of  their  roughness  moulded  grainfield  and 
meadow.  He  reared  the  log  walls  of  a  new 
home,  soon  made  truly  a  home  by  the  pre 
sence  of  his  wife.  The  brood  of  younger 


158  A  DAN  VIS  PIONEER 

Torreys  found  in  it  a  home  also,  to  which 
they  gave  willing  and  helpful  hands  until 
they  were  well-grown  boys  and  girls,  able  to 
shift  for  themselves. 

Josiah  was  again  an  owner  of  oxen,  also 
of  cows  and  a  horse,  and  a  flock  of  long- 
legged,  bare-bellied  sheep  that  ranged  the 
woods  as  untamed  as  deer  except  when  fear  of 
wolves  and  bears  became  more  terrible  than 
fear  of  man,  or  deep  snow  and  starvation 
made  shed,  fold,  and  fodder  more  desirable 
than  freedom. 

The  sheep  and  young  cattle  were  turned 
out  to  range  the  budding  and  blossoming 
woods,  and  their  owner  was  out  one  day 
with  his  rifle  to  look  after  their  welfare, 
when  he  heard  the  scared  bleating  of  the 
flock,  mingled  with  the  spasmodic  jangle  of 
the  leader's  bell.  As  they  came  tearing 
down  the  mountain  path,  close  upon  the  heels 
of  the  hindermost,  the  cause  of  their  flight, 
a  gaunt  she  bear  galloped  at  top  speed, 
her  faded  ragged  coat  fluttering  like  the  tat 
ters  of  a  beggar.  The  sheep  swerved  aside 
to  pass  Josiah  when  they  saw  him,  but  she 
held  straight  on,  and  when  he  fired,  inflict- 


THE   SMOOTH  BORE  159 

ing  a  slight  wound  in  her  head,  she  charged 
furiously  upon  him.  lie  swung  the  gun 
aloft  and  brought  it  down  with  all  his  might. 
By  good  luck  that  he  was  truly  thankful  for 
he  struck  the  beast  a  blow  on  the  skull  that 
checked  her  onslaught.  Another  brought 
her  down  quite  stunned,  so  that  he  had  no 
trouble  to  dispatch  her ;  but  it  was  the  last 
service  of  the  rifle.  The  barrel  was  bent, 
the  stock  broken  past  mending,  so  that  it 
was  only  a  question  of  a  new  gun  of  some 
sort. 

Arguing  the  question  with  himself,  his 
wife  the  audience,  he  said :  "  If  I  got  tu  be 
sech  a  blunderin'  ol'  numbskull  I  can't  git  a 
bead  on  a  bear's  head  three  rod  off,  I  better 
git  me  su'thin'  I  can  shoot  buckshot  in  — 
a'  oF  Queen's  arm  or  a  c  pateraro,'  mebby ! 
By  the  Lord  Harry,  she  wa'n't  three  rod, 
an'  a-comin'  stret  at  rne !  But  she  was 
a-bobbin'  up  an'  down,  ju'  like  a  sawmill 
gate.  It  don't  signify,  though,  I  'd  ort  tu 
ha'  fetched  her.  Fact  on 't  is,  I  guess  I  can't 
shoot  a  rifle  no  more  —  don't  practyce  none. 
Guess  I  '11  git  me  a  smooth  -  bore  —  it  '11 
be  handy  for  pigins,  an'  shoot  a  ball  well 


1GO  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

'nough  for  what  bear  an*  deer  an'  varmints 
I  run  on  tu  naowerdays.  If  the'  was  any 
seeh  thing  as  fixin'  up  ol'  4  Sartin  Death  ' 
I  would  n't  think  o'  nothin'  else,  but  she  's 
past  prayin'  for,"  he  sighed  ruefully,  re 
garding  the  bent  barrel,  the  broken  lock, 
and  splintered  stock. 

The  result  was  that  after  fully  setting 
forth  the  case  of  each  weapon,  he  made  a 
pilgrimage  to  the  shop  of  Thomas  Hill  in 
Charlotta,  the  most  famous  gunsmith  of  the 
region  ;  and  after  long  consultation  with  that 
cunning  craftsman,  he  ordered  the  building 
of  a  sixteen-gauge  smooth-bore,  with  four-foot 
barrel,  brass  mountings,  curled  maple  stock 
of  rifle  pattern,  with  patch  box.  He  awaited 
the  appointed  time  of  completion  with  the 
'degree  of  patience  that  usually  attends  the 
gun  lover  while  he  waits  possession  of  a 
new  weapon,  and,  knowing  the  value  of  a 
craftsman's  promise,  added  a  week's  grace 
thereto. 

Then  he  haltered  the  two-year-old  heifer 
that  was  to  be  the  price,  trade  being  then 
chiefly  conducted  by  barter,  and  set  forth 
on  foot,  leading  the  heifer. 


THE  SMOOTH  BORE  161 

The  gun  proved  to  be  all  that  was  pro 
mised  and  more  than  was  expected.  It  was  a 
beauty,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  day ; 
it  made  a  target  almost  as  good  as  a  rifle  at 
twenty  rods,  and  patterns  with  both  coarse 
and  fine  shot  that  were  all  that  could  be  de 
sired.  Josiah  Hill  was  pleased  enough  with 
the  gun  to  give  it  ungrudged  praise,  and 
proud  to  have  so  skillful  and  honest  a  work 
man  as  its  maker  for  a  namesake.  So 
treading  more  lightly  with  this  easiest  of 
burdens  on  his  shoulder,  he  set  forth  on  his 
homeward  journey,  now  making  a  target  of 
a  white  patch  on  a  beech  trunk,  now  of  an 
unwary  crow,  now  of  a  pigeon  just  arrived 
from  so  far  south  that  it  had  green  wild 
grapes  in  its  crop,  while  in  Daiivis  woods 
the  vines  were  but  just  in  bloom. 

He  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  mile, 
when  he  brought  down  one  of  these  trav 
elers  from  afar,  and  debating  a  moment 
whether  he  should  reload  with  shot  or  ball 
decided  on  the  latter,  so  that  he  might,  as 
soon  as  he  reached  home,  show  Ruby  how 
well  the  new  smooth-bore  could  fill  the  place 
of  the  rifle.  As  he  was  returning  the  ram- 


162  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

rod  to  its  pipes,  his  roving  eyes  caught  the 
lithe  movement  of  some  animal  where  the 
next  turn  of  the  road  closed  the  forest- 
walled  vista.  His  first  thoughts  were  that 
it  was  a  deer,  and  that  it  was  out  of  season. 
Then  he  saw  that,  though  it  was  of  the 
color,  it  was  not  of  the  form  of  a  deer.  It 
was  a  panther  sneaking  along  at  a  loose- 
jointed,  cat-like  trot,  halting  now  and  then 
to  look  backward  with  intent,  alert  eager 
ness  ;  then  resuming  its  slouching  advance. 

Josiah  brought  the  gun  to  his  shoulder, 
but  could  not  find  a  certain  aim  at  the  dis 
tance,  though  that  was  not  more  than  twenty 
rods.  So  he  waited,  with  his  head  a  little 
raised  and  gun  muzzle  lowered,  for  the  ani 
mal  to  come  within  closer  range.  At  fifteen 
rods  it  halted  and  looked  backward  a^ain, 

O 

and  then  as  Josiah  aimed  at  the  curved  side 
just  behind  the  shoulder,  it  sprang  lightly 
to  the  roadside,  faced  about,  and  swiftly 
climbed  the  trunk  of  a  great  maple  to  the 
first  large  limb  that  stretched  out  above  the 
road,  upon  which  it  crouched,  eagerly  watch 
ing  in  the  direction  from  which  it  had  come. 
"  A-layin'  for  suthin'  —  one  o?  my  idgit 


THE   SMOOTH  BORE  1C3 

y'erlin's,  mebby,"  Josiah  whispered  to  him 
self,  the  eye  and  aim  following  every  move 
ment,  only  diverted  for  an  occasional  quick 
glance  down  the  road.  The  last  of  these 
revealed  a  glimpse  of  a  checkered  blue  and 
white  sunbonnet  and  the  flutter  of  a  brown 
homespun  gown,  and  then  Ruby  appeared  in 
full  view,  picking  her  way  along  the  edge  of  a 
muddy  road,  not  thirty  yards  beyond  the  tree 
where  the  panther  crouched,  watching  her 
with  cruel,  eager  eyes  —  ears  pricked,  the  end 
of  the  tail  twitching  nervously,  and  hinder 
paws  nestling  under  the  belly  for  the  leap. 

"  Ruby  !  Ruby !  Stand  still  where  you 
be,  for  God's  sake !  "  he  cried  out  in  a 
sharp,  strained  voice  that  compelled  her  to 
stand  stock  still  before  she  comprehended 
whose  it  was  or  whence  it  came. 

The  panther  turned  the  glare  of  its  yellow 
eyes  full  upon  him  at  the  sound ;  the  long 
barrel  trembled  a  little  as  it  was  brought  to 
an  aim,  then  became  steady  as  a  rock  under 
the  strain  of  the  tense  muscle,  and  obedient 
to  the  flash  of  priming  spat  out  its  shaft  of 
fire.  A  yell  of  pain  and  rage  shot  through 
the  boom  of  the  report  and  echo  as  the  pan- 


164  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

ther,  pierced  through  the  heart,  lurched 
aimlessly  from  its  perch  and  came  down 
a-sprawl  and  half  lifeless  midway  between 
Josiah  and  his  wife. 

Still  calm  and  collected,  he  began  reload 
ing  as  he  stepped  forward  a  pace,  closely 
watching  the  great  cat  blindly  biting  and 
clawing  the  earth,  and  writhing  and  rebound 
ing  in  all  the  lithe  contortions  of  feline 
death  throes.  The  last  snarling  gasp  went 
out,  the  muscular  limbs  stiffened,  quivered 
and  relaxed,  but  he  did  not  go  nearer  the 
motionless  tawny  form  until  his  piece  was 
reloaded.  Then,  with  thumb  on  the  cock 
and  finger  on  the  trigger,  he  advanced  and 
stirred  it  with  his  foot.  Not  a  muscle  gave 
a  responsive  twitch,  and  he  went  over  to 
Ruby,  sitting  in  a  dumb  daze,  clutching  the 
leaves  with  rigid  hands,  never  moving  until, 
when  she  saw  her  husband  so  near  the  ter 
rible  beast,  she  made  an  involuntary  warn 
ing  gesture. 

"  Thank  the  good  Lord,  Ruby  !  "  he  cried, 
all  of  a  tremble  now,  and  his  voice  shaking 
as  he  knelt  down  beside  her ;  and  she,  with 
laer  head  on  his  shoulder,  fell  to  weeping. 


THE  SMOOTH  BORE  165 

"  I  do'  know  what  made  me,  but  I  con- 
saited  you  'd  be  a-comin',  an'  I  was  a-comiii' 
aout  tu  meet  you." 

"  An'  I  was  a-comin'  jest  in  the  nick  o' 
time,  an'  blessed  be  this  gun,  for  she  saved 
ye.  We  '11  call  her  '  Deliverance.'  Ju' 
look  what  a  beauty  she  be!  There,  don't 
ye  cry  ontu  her  —  salty  tears  '11  rust  her." 

The  smooth-bore,  having  done  such  saving 
service,  was  ever  after  a  prime  favorite,  and 
a  weapon  of  great  renown  in  the  township. 
Her  owner  achieved  a  wider  fame  as  an  ex 
pert  marksman,  woodsman,  and  hunter.  He 
was  famous  as  the  slayer  of  three  panthers, 
and  more  deer  fell  to  his  gun  than  to  any 
other.  Many  wolves  and  bears  he  trapped 
and  shot,  and  as  these  larger  animals  be 
came  scarce  he  got  at  great  pains  a  hound  of 
Peleg  Sunderland's  -noted  breed,  —  a  gaunt 
blue-mottled  dog,  most  melodious  and  far- 
sounding  of.  tongue,  whose  face  grew  more 
serious  year  by  year  with  pondering  on  the 
wiles  of  the  cunning  fox. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   PATRIARCH    OF   DANVIS 

JOSIAH  HILL  did  not  neglect  husbandry 
for  sport,  and  never  became  a  shiftless 
hunter,  good  for  nothing  in  aught  else.  Out 
of  primeval  roughness  he  wrought  smooth 
fields,  his  well-tended  crops  were  bountiful, 
his  flocks  and  herds  throve.  No  house  was 
better  provided  nor  more  neatly  kept  than 
his,  nor  resounded  more  constantly  with  the 
musical  droning  of  the  great  wheel  and  the 
livelier  whir  and  beat  of  the  flax  wheel. 

As  the  years  went  by,  to  these  household 
sounds  were  added  the  babble  of  children's 
voices.  Four  sturdy  boys,  Ethan,  Joseph, 
'Member,  and  Kenehn,  played  and  throve 
around  Josiah's  cheerful  fireside  until  that 
fatal  epidemic  that  so  baffled  the  skill  of 
early  doctors  and  swept  away  so  many  chil 
dren  of  the  pioneers  proved  fatal  to  all  but 
Joseph.  The  father  never  spoke  of  this 


THE  PATRIARCH  OF  DANVIS       167 

great  loss,  though  it  was  always  a  deep  and 
unforgotten  sorrow.  If  his  remaining  son 
ever  fell  short  of  his  wishes,  he  fully  believed 
the  other  boys  would  have  grown  to  the  full 
measure  of  all  his  desires.  Joseph  Hill 
inherited  nothing  of  his  father's  aggressive 
ness,  nor  indeed  any  of  his  traits  but  kind 
ness  of  heart.  Apparently  he  had  drawn 
his  characteristics  from  some  remote  forgot 
ten  ancestor,  some  stolid  English  yeoman 
who  had  been  slowly  moved  to  emigrate  to 
the  New  World  for  conscience'  sake.  The 
transplanted  Puritan  remained  an  English 
man,  but  his  descendants  became  slowly  dif 
ferentiated  from  him  in  more  nervous  alacrity 
of  manner  and  in  speech,  a  dropping  of  the 
throaty  burr,  and  a  nasal  drawl  attaching 
itself  to  the  twisted  vowels. 

Neighboring  homesteads  drew  closer 
around  Josiah's :  those  of  Elisha  Peggs, 
the  shoemaker ;  the  Lovels,  the  Goves,  the 
Puringtons,  the  Bordens,  and  Briggses ; 
the  staid  Quaker  folk,  the  Bartletts  —  to  all 
of  whom  he  was  a  kind  neighbor,  helpful  in 
sickness  and  the  many  privations  of  pioneer 
life,  rough  tongued,  but  soft  hearted. 


1G8  A   DANVIS  PIONEER 

When  Timothy  Lovel  fell  sick  of  a  fever, 
it  was  Josiah  Hill  who  rallied  all  the  neigh 
bors  within  two  miles  to  do  the  sick  man's 
haying ;  and  Timothy,  worried  almost  to 
death's  door  by  the  thought  of  his  unfin 
ished  work,  was  made  happy  and  set  on  the 
road  to  health  when  told  that  it  was  all 
done,  the  log  barn  full  of  hay  and  five  good 
stacks  in  the  meadow.  Every  one  had  a 
logging-bee  when  the  felled  trees  were  ready 
for  piling,  but  Josiah  was  first  at  all,  organ 
izing  the  work  and  keeping  all  hands  at  it 
till  it  was  finished,  before  the  inevitable 
black  bottle  went  its  rounds  oftener  than 
necessary,  and  skylarking  and  practical  jok 
ing  began  too  soon. 

Once  when,  early  in  the  day,  Jerry  Mor 
rison  was  overcome  in  too  frequent  bouts 
with  this  sable  antagonist  and  was  laid 
behind  a  log  heap  to  recover,  some  of  the 
jokers  of  the  company  rubbed  his  milk- 
white  oxen,  the  pride  of  his  heart,  as  black 
as  jet  with  smut  from  the  charred  logs.  In 
due  time  Nature's  great  restorer  got  Jerry 
upon  his  unsteady  legs,  and  he  meandered 
home,  his  oxen  none  the  less  tractable  for 
their  outward  metamorphose. 


THE  PATRIARCH  OF  DANVIS       169 

"  Say,  Betsey,  look  a'  here !  "  he  called  to 
his  wife,  as  he  came  to  an  unsteady  halt  be 
fore  his  own  door  and  brought  his  oxen  to  a 
stand  with  a  "  Whoa,  Snowball !  Whoa, 
Silver  !  Back,  ish  !  If  this  'ere  's  me,  some- 
b'dy  or  'nother  's  got  my  oxen.  If  it  hain't 
me,  where  in  thunder  be  I  gone  tu  ?  " 

In  the  October  evenings  every  farm  had 
its  husking-bee,  an  industrial  merrymaking 
in  high  favor  with  the  young  folks  and 
matchmaking  mothers.  The  uncertain  light 
sprinkled  from  the  tin  lanterns,  the  deep 
shadows,  the  continual  rustle  of  the  corn 
leaves  and  husks,  were  great  aids  to  the 
bashful  wooers. 

When  the  young  orchards  came  into  bear 
ing,  paring-bees  became  as  common  and  as 
popular  entertainments,  —  a  way  of  making 
work  light  with  many  hands.  Quiltings 
were  more  the  affairs  of  matrons  and  maids, 
but  the  men  were  in  demand  when  the  "  quilt 
was  shaken,"  and  dancing  was  in  order. 

In  winter  there  were  spelling  schools  in 
the  log  schoolliouse  that  Josiah  had  been 
instrumental  in  building,  and  he  even  taught 
school  in  one  winter  when  no  one  else  could 


170  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

be  found  better  fitted  for  the  place.  In  his 
youth  he  had  learned  to  read  and  write,  and 
had  ciphered  to  the  Rule  of  Three  in  the 
district  school  of  his  old  Connecticut  home, 
thereby  being  qualified  to  lead  or  drive  the 
youth  of  Danvis  one  winter's  journey  in  the 
path  of  learning.  The  schoolhouse  was  fur 
nished  with  rough  desks  and  seats  for  the 
larger  scholars,  while  the  smaller  ones  were 
provided  with  two  long  benches  of  slabs 
supported  on  rough-hewn  legs  driven  into 
holes  on  the  bark  sides  of  the  slab.  There 
was  a  huge  stone  fireplace  in  one  end  of  the 
room,  by  which  an  attempt  was  made  to 
warm  it,  with  the  result  of  roasting  those 
who  sat  near,  while  those  who  sat  far  away 
were  freezing. 

In  the  bitterest  weather  there  was  a  con 
tinual  movement  of  the  frozen  and  the 
thawed  to  and  from  the  fire,  occasioning 
considerable  disorder.  Nevertheless  Josiah's 
scholars  learned  obedience  as  they  stumbled 
along  the  rough  pathway  in  pursuit  of  the 
three  R's.  Abner  Borden,  standing  in  the 
reading  class,  balanced  himself  on  one  leg, 
and  slowly  scratched  it  with  the  other  foot 


THE  PATRIARCH  OF  DANVIS       171 

as  he  spelled  and  respelled  a  puzzling  word 
to  himself. 

"  Skip  it  an'  go  'long ! "  his  next  class 
mate  whispered. 

"  Skip  it  an'  go  'long,"  Abner  repeated, 
in  his  high-pitched  reading  voice. 

"  Don't  you  know  what  b-a-r-r-e-l  spells  ?" 
the  master  asked,  when  the  laughter  sub 
sided.  "  What  does  your  father  put  his 
cider  intu  ?  " 

A  great  light  broke  upon  Abner's  intel 
lect,  and  he  blurted  out,  "  Hunh !  int'  the 
bung ! " 

"  Master,  may  I  speak  ?  "  a  scholar  asked 
eagerly,,  after  a  stolen  glance  out  of  the 
window  one  day  in  early  winter,  and  getting 
permission,  reported  that  he  had  just  seen 
Mr.  Briggs's  dog  tree  a  bear  not  forty  rods 
from  the  schoolhouse.  When  the  master 
was  satisfied  of  the  fact  by  ocular  proof,  he 
sent  the  discoverer  for  the  long  smooth-bore, 
powder  horn,  and  bullet  pouch  ;  and  "when  it 
was  brought  and  carefully  loaded,  he  dis 
missed  school  for  half  an  hour,  and  with 
all  the  scholars  at  his  heels  went  out  and 
shot  the  bear.  He  turned  over  the  bounty 


172  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

and  skin  to  the  committee,  to  be  applied  on 
school  expenses. 

Josiah  had  not  been  many  years  settled 
in  Danvis  when  his  old  comrade  Kenehn 
Dalrymple  came  to  him  broken  with  age,  in 
firm  and  homeless ;  but  the  latter  no  longer 
when  he  reached  this  hospitable  shelter. 

"I  useter  'most  wish,  when  I  was  wan- 
derin'  hither  an'  yon  wi'aout  kith  or  kin 
or  friend,  I  coidd  come  tu  my  own  ag'in," 
he  said,  sitting  in  comfort  by  the  glowing 
hearth,  with  his  pipe  ablast ;  "  but  I  guess 
I  'm  better  off  here  'an  I  would  be  in 
boughten  clo'es,  a-lordin'  on  't  or  tryin'  tu, 
for  I  reckon  a  Yankee  would  n't  make  no 
great  fist  on  't.  Seventy-five  or  eighty  year 
amongst  'em  have  pooty  nigh  made  me  one 
on  'era." 

Then  following  Ruby  with  his  eyes  until 
she  left  the  room,  "  You  did  make  a  lucky 
hit  when  you  got  her,  boy !  But  I  'spect  it 
all  come  o'  my  puttin'  ye  on  guard  ag'in' 
'em.  It  made  ye  kerful  a-choosin'." 

"  The'  wa'n't  no  ch'ice,"  Josiah  protested. 
"  We  had  tu  an'  so  we  did  —  that 's  all." 

Yet  Kenehn  could  scarcely  believe  that 


THE  PATRIARCH  OF  DANVIS       173 

he  was  not  entitled  to  some  credit  for  Jo- 
siali's  selection. 

He  could  not  be  reconciled  by  any  argu 
ment  to  his  pupil's  abandonment  of  the  rifle 
for  the  smooth-bore,  which  he  held  in  utter 
contempt,  though  he  would  sometimes  con 
descend  to  use  Josiah's,  and  always  came 
home  blaming  its  inaccuracy  for  the  fair 
shots  missed. 

His  days  went  by  in  tranquil  enjoyment, 
and  at  last,  as  he  dozed  in  his  seat  by  the 
fireside,  he  passed  into  the  profounder  sleep 
of  death,  and  came  to  his  own  in  the  land 
of  the  leal. 

Josiah  was  the  first  captain  of  militia 
in  his  town,  and  held  the  office  long ;  for 
though  he  was  a  martinet,  his  company  was 
the  best  drilled  in  the  regiment,  —  a  distinc 
tion  of  which  the  members  were  too  proud 
to  depose  their  old  commander,  whose  scold 
ing  had  brought  them  to  its  achievement. 

He  started  with  them  for  Plattsburgh, 
but  could  get  no  farther  than  Burlington, 
where  he  fretted  and  fumed  till  the  roar  of 
battle  ceased,  and  the  news  of  the  glorious 
victory  came ;  and  then  he  wondered  how 
it  was  gained  without  his  aid. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE   APPARITION   OF    GRAN'THER   HILL 

WHEN  Josiah  Hill  had  lived  beyond  the 
allotted  life  of  man,  he  was  still  a  marvel  of 
health  and  vigor.  There  were  days  when 
he  felt  amiss,  but  they  were  like  the  petty 
ailments  of  a  child,  recovered  from  without 
apparent  loss  of  vitality.  These  slight  at 
tacks  were  always  a  cause  of  anxiety  to  his 
family  and  friends,  who  were  then  forced  to 
realize  how  closely  his  footsteps  inevitably 
tended  toward  the  bounds  of  the  undiscov 
ered  country.  They  never  alarmed  Gran'- 
ther  Hill,  though  he  was  impatient  of  the 
alarm  of  others.  He  had  faced  death  so 
often  and  in  so  many  forms,  that  it  seemed 
not  worth  making  an  ado  about,  —  a  small 
affair  which  need  concern  no  one  but  him 
self.  He  was  like  some  ancient  cliff-rooted 
evergreen  whose  hold  on  the  thin  soil  and 
deep-grooved  crevices  seemed  to  tighten  with 
every  storm  that  assailed  it. 


APPARITION  OF  GRANTHER  HILL    175 

It  was  near  the  middle  of  July,  and 
haymaking  in  Daiivis  was  well  under  way. 
Even  Joseph  Hill  was  hard  at  it,  as  he  said, 
and  about  nine  o'clock  of  a  morning  that 
promised  an  unbroken  hay-day  was  walking 
at  a  leisurely  pace  along  the  shaven  sward 
between  the  standing  grass  on  the  left  and 
the  yet  unwilted  swath  on  his  right.  His 
hired  help,  Pelatiah  Gove  and  Antoine  Bi- 
sette,  were  mowing  around  a  piece  on  the 
farther  side  of  the  ten-acre  meadow;  but 
he  preferred  to  "  carry  his  swaths,"  which 
gave  his  back  long  intervals  of  rest  from 
bending,  and  afforded  opportunities  of  sweet 
ening  toil  with  scraps  of  conversation  when 
a  neighbor  passed  along  the  highway,  to 
whose  border  he  returned,  to  strike  in  anew 
after  the  slow  and  restful  walk.  Now,  as  he 
sauntered  along,  his  scythe  hanging  easily 
on  his  arm,  he  contemplated  with  a  yeo 
man's  honest  pride  the  broad,  even  path  he 
had  mown,  and  the  straight,  regular  swath 
of  herd's-grass  dappled  with  the  yellow  and 
white  of  daisies,  and  blushing  with  purple 
clover-heads  and  scarlet  splashes  of  over 
ripe  strawberries.  He  kicked  it  aside  to 


176  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

see  if  it  was  neatly  "  p'intecl  aout,"  then 
stooped  to  pick  up  a  tempting  bunch  of 
strawberries. 

"  Sam  Hill !  "  he  exclaimed,  nibbling  them 
from  the  stem  as  he  resumed  his  delib 
erate  progress.  "  Hain't  the'  snarls  on  'em ! 
Why,  M'ri'  an'  Ruby  might  gather  a  ten- 
quart  pailf  1  on  'em  right  aout  'n  the  swaths, 
—  seems  's  'ough  they  might,  'most.  I 
snum,  I  'd  stop  an'  pick  some  on  'em  myself, 
if  I  hed  me  a  dish  an'  wa'n't  so  'tarnal 
busy." 

When  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  field, 
Pelatiah  and  Antoine  began  sharpening  their 
scythes  at  the  farthest  corner  of  their  les 
sening  parallelogram ;  and  as  his  ear  caught 
the  sound  he  dropped  the  end  of  his  snath 
upon  the  ground,  drew  the  emery  -  clad 
wooden  "  rifle  "  from  the  long  pocket  of  his 
tow-cloth  trousers,  and,  with  intent  eyes  and 
a  critical  left  thumb  on  the  scythe's  edge, 
began  whetting  it  from  heel  to  point. 

"If  they  spend  half  o'  the'  time  raspin' 
the'  ol'  peahooks,  guess  I  c'n  'ford  tu  tech 
up  mine  a  leetle  mite,  seems  's  'ough,"  he 
said,  as  his  blade  rang  an  echo  to  theirs. 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    177 

"It's  a  dollar  a  day,  an'  no  hangin'  for 
stealin'." 

The  bobolinks  were  in  their  gay  motley 
plumage,  and  as  jolly  as  became  such  attire. 
Their  songs  mingled  with  the  musical  clan 
gor  of  the  whetted  scythes,  as  the  gay  min 
strels  hung  on  vibrant  wings  above  their 
brooding  mates,  or  swayed  on  the  nodding 
herd's-grass  heads.  A  meadow  lark,  perched 
on  a  haycock,  turning  his  escutcheoned 
breast  to  the  sun,  uttered  notes  as  metallic 
as  those  the  scythes  gave  forth,  but  less 
musical.  Flashing  through  the  foliage  of 
a  roadside  elm,  an  oriole  broke  the  sweet, 
plaintive  cadence  of  his  brief  song  with  a 
discordant  chatter,  evoked  perhaps  by  some 
intruder,  perhaps  by  a  disappointment  over 
the  unmusical  promise  of  his  unfledged  off 
spring's  three  lugubrious  notes  reiterated 
with  tiresome  monotony,  while  the  silent 
mother  came  and  went  in  an  endless  round 
of  food  gathering  and  delivering. 

"  What 's  a-troublin'  of  ye,  this  mornin', 
Mr.  Hangbird  ?  "  Joseph  inquired,  looking 
towards  the  elm.  Presently  he  descried  the 
canopy  of  a  blue  umbrella  slowly  rising 


178  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

above  the  crest  of  a  hill.  u  Wai,  I  snore, 
if 't  hain't  Mis'  Pur'n't'n,"  he  declared,  after 
a  few  moments'  study  of  the  approaching 
figure  as  it  became  more  fully  revealed. 
u  Wonder  where  she  's  a-shoolin'  tu.  Up 
tu  aour  haouse,  like  's  not.  Like  'nough  up 
t'  Solon's,  I  d'  know."  lie  laid  down  the 
scythe,  and  refreshed  himself  with  a  draught 
of  switchel  from  a  wooden  canteen  which  he 
drew  from  its  covering  of  grass  in  a  shady 
fence  corner.  This  once  popular  but  now 
obsolete  summer  drink  of  temperate  hay 
makers  was  compounded  of  molasses  and 
water,  with  a  dash  of  vinegar  and  a  spice  of 
ginger,  and  was  supposed  to  be  less  hurt 
ful  than  water  to  heated  men.  Therefore 
Joseph,  considering  his  liability  to  "  git  het," 
providently  supplied  himself  with  it.  Hav 
ing  quenched  his  thirst,  he  rasped  his  face 
with  a  red-and-yellow  cotton  handkerchief 
carried  in  the  crown  of  his  palm-leaf  hat, 
and  leaned  upon  the  fence  to  await  the  com 
ing  of  the  passer-by.  Presently  she  waddled 
into  short  range  of  speech,  her  flushed  face 
and  labored  breath  seeming  to  diffuse  added 
heat  in  the  fervid  atmosphere.  Her  eyes 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    179 

were  intent  on  the  smooth  footpath  between 
the  ditch  and  the  wheel  track,  and  she  was 
not  aware  of  Joseph's  presence  till  he  ac 
costed  her. 

"Mornin',  Mis'  Pur'n't'n.  Where  on 
this  livin'  airth  be  you  p' in  ted  for,  this  hot 

•      }  O   5  5 

mornin  : 

"  Why,  sakes  alive  !  "  she  gasped,  coming 
to  a  ponderous,  quaking  halt.  "  What 's 
the  use  o'  scarin'  anybody  aouten  the'  seben 
senses  ?  My,  I  never  seen  ye  till  I  heard  ye, 
an'  I  putty  nigh  jumped  aouten  my  shoes. 
I  'm  rwusted,  an'  I  'm  comin'  over  there  int' 
the  shade.  I  was  just  a-thinkin'  I'd  ortu 
seddaown  an'  rest  me.  Ther'  hain't  no  bum 
blebees  ner  was's  nests  ner  nothin',  is  the'  ?  " 

"  Don't  seem  tu  be  none,"  said  Joseph, 
after  casual  inspection  of  the  premises. 

With  this  assurance  she  descended  into 
the  dry  ditch,  and,  assisting  herself  with  a 
pudgy  hand  on  her  uplifted  knee,  climbed 
up  the  opposite  bank,  set  her  open  blue 
umbrella  upside  down  on  the  ferns  and  but 
tercups,  and  seated  herself  on  a  convenient 
cradle  knoll  in  the  shadow  of  the  fence-side 
raspberry  bushes. 


180  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  So  you  're  a-hayin'  of  it,  be  ye  ?  "  she 
said,  peeping  between  the  rails  into  the 
meadow.  "  Wai,  he  is  tew.  Ho,  hum, 
sussy  day !  I  allers  du  dread  hayin'  dretf '1, 
it  does  make  sech  a  lot  o'  work  for  the 
women  folks ;  men  folks  does  eat  so,  an'  so 
many  on 'em!  Haow's  your  father?  We 
heerd  las'  night  'at  he  was  kinder  failin',  an' 
I  told  him  I  'd  got  tu  gwup  an'  see  fer  my 
self;  an'  so  this  mornin'  I  told  Sis  she'd 
got  tu  git  along  some  way,  an'  I  jest  put  on 
my  things,  an'  off  I  come ;  for  I  knowed  if 
I  couldn't  du  nothin'  much  wi'  my  han's, 
feeble 's  I  be,  I  c'ld  chirk  him  up  some,  an' 
Mis'  Hill,  which  she  must  hev  her  han's 
putty  nigh  full  an'  anxious  in  her  mind. 
Haow  'd  ye  say  he  was?  " 

"  Oh,  wal,"  said  Joseph  slowly,  embracing 
the  first  opportunity  to  answer,  "  father 
hain't  not  tu  say  sick,  an'  then  ag'in  he  hain't 
ezackly  what  you  might  call  well.  He's 
ben  a  lee-tie  mite  off  'm  the  hooks  tew  three 
days  ;  the  hot  weather  's  kinder  took  a  holt 
on  him,  I  guess.  I  don't  b'lieve  but  what 
he  '11  come  raound  all  right  ag'in  in  a  day  er 
tew." 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    181 

Mrs.  Purington's  sunbonnet  shook  with 
funereal  solemnity,  and  she  heaved  a  deep 
sigh. 

"  Don't  flatter  yourself.  At  his  time  o' 
life,  he  's  lierble  tu  go  any  minute  ;  an'  givin' 
way  tu  his  temper  the  way  he  does,  I  don't 
'spect  nothin'  but  what  he  '11  go  in  a  fit  o' 
the  arteplack.  It  '11  be  terrible  onpleasant 
tu  hev  him  pass  away  right  in  hayin',  a 
fun'r'l  does  break  things  up  so.  But  we 
can't  order  sech  things.  My  sakes,  if  there 
hain't  a  ripe  rosb'ry !  "  as  she  spied  the  first 
ripe  berry  of  its  kind  and  reached  forth  to 
secure  it.  "  Who  'd  ever  ha'  thought  o'  ros- 
b'ries  gittin'  ripe?  Ho,  hum,  haow  time 
does  fly,  an'  aour  lives  is  but  a  span!  I 
mus'  send  Sis  aout  tu  see  'f  she  c'n  git  'nough 
fer  a  mess.  I  s'pose  you  give  your  father 
bwunset  ?  An'  prarbably  you  've  hed  him 
the  darkter?" 

"  Wai,  he  's  took  some  hisself,"  Joseph 
answered.  "Ye  can't  ezackly  give  him 
nothin'.  He  won't  let  ye.  No,  he  won't 
hev  no  darkter  erless  he  '11  bleed  him,  which 
there  don't  seem  no  sense  in,  seems  's  'ough 
there  wa'n't,  'cause,  ye  see,  he  hain't  full- 


182  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

blooded.     It  don't  seem 's  if  he'd  hev  the 
arteplack,  sca'cely." 

"  You  can't  never  tell,"  Mrs.  Purington 
sighed.  "  It  tackles  fat  an'  lean.  Time 
cuts  daown  all,  bwuth  gre't  an'  small.  Is 
your  grass  tol'able  good  ?  His  'n  is." 

"  Bunkum,"  Joseph  declared  with  un 
wonted  decision,  which  he  hastened  to  qualify. 
"  Leastways,  consid'able  more  'n  niiddlin',  for 
all  the'  's  lots  o'  strob'ries,  which  hain't  a 
sign  o'  heavy  grass.  If  it 's  buries  ye  want, 
you  c'ld  pick  up  a  bushil  aouten  the  swaths. 
I  'd  know  as  a  bushil,  ezackly ;  fo',  five, 
half  dozen  quarts,  mebby.  Say,  I  swan, 
Mis'  Pur'n't'n,  the'  is  a  was's  nes'  right  in 
under  the  —  le'  me  see  —  one,  tew,  three, 
fo',  five  —  the  fif  rail  fm  the  top,  on  the 
len'th  right  behind  ye.  Don't  ye  git  scairt ; 
go  kinder  easy,  an'  not  wake  'em  up." 

She  hesitated  not  on  the  manner  of  her 
departure,  but  rolled  off  her  seat  to  the 
verge  of  the  ditch,  into  which  she  dropped 
her  feet,  and,  scrambling  up  the  further 
bank  on  all  fours,  regained  the  road.  There, 
resuming  an  upright  position,  she  began 
vigorously  to  shake  her  skirts  and  cuff  the 
sides  of  her  sunbonnet. 


APPARITION  OF  GRANTHER  HILL    183 

"Wai,  I  b'lieve  the'  hain't  none  in  my 
clo'es  iier  nothin' !  "  she  exclaimed  at  last. 
"  But  wa'n't  I  scairt,  though?  I  be  dretf'l 
'feard  o'  was's  an'  bees,  they  swell  up  so  on 
me.  I  do'  know  but  I  'xposed  some  o'  my 
limbs,  but  you  '11  haf  ter  'xcuse  me  on  'caount 
o'  the  was's  nes'  an'  your  father's  health. 
Naow,  if  you  c'n  git  a  holt  o'  my  umbrel, 
an'  tost  it  tu  me,  mebby  I  c'n  git  away  'thaout 
gittin'  stung  tu  death." 

Joseph  grunted  as  he  reached  far  across 
the  fence  to  perform  this  service,  and  then, 
having  recovered  his  breath,  he  said,  "  If 
you  see  bub,  you  jest  tell  him  tu  hurry  up 
an'  come  an'  shake  aout  this  'ere  grass,  an' 
fer  him  tu  fetch  a  fork,  'cause  the'  hain't 
none  here.  I  do'  know  why  in  tunket  he 
don't  come,  fer  the  dew 's  ben  off  an  haour." 

"  Prarbably  his  mother 's  a-keepin'  on 
him  tu  send  fer  the  darkter  or  the  neigh 
bors.  An'  I  s'pose  Josier  begretches  ev'y 
minute  away  f 'm  his  gran'ther.  He  '11  miss 
him  more  'n  'most  any  of  ye."  Then  shel 
tering  herself  under  the  umbrella,  Mrs. 
Purington  resumed  her  laborious  progress. 

"  Gosh,  what  a  woman !  "  Joseph  ejacu- 


184  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

latecl  when  he  had  watched  her  a  moment. 
"  Won't  father  give  her  hail  Columby, 
though,  if  she  gits  tu  mournin'  over  him ! " 
Then  his  eyes  wandered  to  the  flat-pressed 
herbage  of  the  cradle  knoll  and  the  inverted 
gray  cone  beneath  the  adjacent  fence  rail, 
and  he  chuckled  wheezily,  "  I  guess  it 's  an 
ol'  last  year's  one,  arter  all.  My,  if  it  hed 
n't  'a'  .ben !  Wai,  I  s'pose  I  must  buckle 
tu."  So  after  trimming  out  the  fence  cor 
ner  with  a  few  short  strokes,  he  struck  into 
his  swath  with  long,  regular  sweeps  whose 
graceful  movement  was  strangely  in  contrast 
to  his  ordinary  turtle-like  motions. 

With  a  like  movement,  yet  each  with  a 
distinctive  if  slight  difference,  the  tall  an 
gular  young  American  and  the  lithe  and 
graceful  little  Canadian  swung  their  scythes 
in  unison,  with  one  cropping  swish  of  the 
cutting  stroke  that  piled  half  a  summer's 
growth  of  stalk,  leaf,  and  blossom  in  a 
lengthening  line  of  common  ruin,  and  dis 
turbed  labor  and  revel  of  busy  bee  and  idle 
moth.  With  one  faint  ring  like  bells  of 
fairyland,  the  two  scythes  swung  back  to  the 
standing  grass.  There  was  no  break  in 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    185 

these  regularly  recurrent  sounds,  except  when 
a  corner  was  reached,  or  the  scythes  were 
whetted,  or  there  was  brief  decisive  battle 
with  a  swarm  of  bumblebees  that  made  the 
air  seethe  with  their  angry  murmur,  and  hot 
with  the  pungent  odor  of  their  wrath.  An 
gry  buzz  and  burnt  honey  incense  faded  out 
when  the  bees  were  trampled  to  death,  and 
the  conquerors  sucked  their  meagre  spoils 
out  of  the  brown  combs. 

Thus  an  hour  or  more  passed  with  the 
haymakers,  while  the  bobolinks  sang  their 
jubilant  medley,  the  oriole  mingled  music 
with  scolding,  the  meadow  lark  struck  his 
brief  metallic  notes,  and  the  kingbird  uttered 
sharp,  accelerated  monotony  of  clatter  as  he 
poised  in  rapid  survey  of  the  grassy  coverts 
or  swooped  upon  his  insect  game.  Then 
there  came  a  sudden  untimely  blast  of  a 
dinner-horn,  sounding  an  imperative  call  in 
its  first  note,  prolonged  to  a  wail  of  distress, 
and  ending  in  sputtering  failure  of  breath 
and  tense  lips. 

Antoine  stopped  at  the  end  of  a  stroke, 
and  turned  inquiring  eyes  and  ears  toward 
the  house,  while  Pelatiah,  in  the  lead,  con- 


186  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

scientiously  carried  out  his  swath  before  he 
stopped  to  look  and  listen  in  the  direction 
of  the  unexpected  signal. 

"  Bah  gosh !  "  Antoine  exclaimed,  letting 
out  his  restrained  breath  after  a  moment 
of  silence.  "Ah  guess  Marri  got  hees 
clock  go  too  fas',  prob'ly,  or  less  de  bee  was 
swarmin',  an't  he  prob'ly  ?  " 

"  Wai,  't  ain't  nowher's  nigh  noon,"  Pela- 
tiali  said,  looking  up  to  the  sun.  "  If  it 's 
bees,  they  hain't  wuth  fussin'  with.  'A 
swarm  in  July  hain't  wuth  a  fly.'  Wonder 
what  the  rip  is  ?  " 

"  Boys,  did  ye  hear  the  horn  ?  "  their  em 
ployer  asked  anxiously,  as  he  came  wading 
through  the  grass  toward  them.  "  Le  's 
hyper  up  tu  the  haouse.  I  'in  afeard  the'  's 
suthin'  the  matter." 

Pelatiah  at  once  slipped  his  scythe  under 
the  swath  and  was  ready  to  accompany  him, 
but  Antoine  whetted  his  scythe  and  again 
struck  in. 

"  Hain't  ye  goin'  with  us  ? "  Joseph 
asked. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  with  abrupt  decision. 
"  Ah  '11  an't  never  wan'  go  where  anybody 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    187 

sick,  an'  if  dey  goin'  to  dead,  oil!  mon 
Dieu,  no !  "  and  he  applied  himself  to  his 
work  with  nervous  diligence,  while  the 
others  went  their  way. 

Joseph  Hill's  usually  cheerful  face  was 
shadowed  by  a  cloud  of  anxiety,  as  he  set 
forth  toward  the  house  at  his  best  pace 
across  the  intervening  strip  of  cleared 
meadow,  where  the  new-fangled,  half-dis 
trusted  revolving  horse-rake,  just  from  Mor 
rison's  shop,  lay  in  idle  conspicuity,  with 
its  double  rows  of  wooden  teeth  shining  in 
the  sun.  Its  owner  gave  it  but  a  passing 
glance  that  brought  no  thrill  of  proud  pos 
session,  but  rather  a  twinge  of  remorse  for 
having  bought  it  against  the  will  of  his  fa 
ther,  who  spurned  it  as  a  "  consarned  flip- 
perty-flop,  rattle-trap,  Tory  thingum-a-jig, 
with  teeth  a-p'iiitin'  both  ways."  It  seemed 
to  Joseph  that  his  legs  were  never  so  short 
nor  the  stubble  so  slippery,  especially  when 
his  active  companion  quickly  overtook  him. 

"  Father 's  hed  a  wuss  spell,  I  '11  bet  ye 
what 's  the  matter,"  he  panted,  struggling 
to  keep  abreast  of  Pelatiah.  "  He  did  n't 
git  mad  nary  oncte  this  mornin',  which  it 


188  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

showed  he  wa'n't  a-feelin'  jest  right  some- 
ways.  I  'd  a  grea'  deal  livser  hev  him  'an 
tu  not  tu.  Lord,  haow  I  should  miss  him 
if  he  should  be  took  away !  "  Joseph  was 
obliged  to  get  the  cotton  handkerchief  from 
his  hat  and  wipe  the  sweat  from  his  eyes, 
for  the  house,  though  now  only  ten  rods  off, 
was  swimming  in  a  watery  haze  that  made 
doors  and  windows  indistinguishable. 

Mrs.  Purington  toiled  up  the  path  lead 
ing  to  the  kitchen  door  of  the  Hill  home 
stead,  bestowing  a  glance  of  severe  disap 
proval  on  the  ill-timed  efflorescence  of  the 
hollyhocks  and  the  gorgeousness  of  the  tiger 
lilies,  then  lowered  her  umbrella  as  a  shield 
against  the  attack  of  an  old  hen  who  charged 
upon  her  furiously  through  a  brood  of 
frightened  chicks,  more  endangered  by  de 
fender  than  by  invader. 

"  There,  there,  you  plagued  ol'  fool,  you," 
she  addressed  her  baffled  adversary,  who 
was  now  making  a  prodigious  fuss  of  scratch 
ing  and  clucking  to  collect  her  scattered 
brood,  one  member  of  which  had  been 
nearly  trampled  to  death  under  her  own 
feet.  "  You  see  what  comes  o'  not  tendin' 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    189 

t'  y'  own  business."  Mrs.  Purington  moved 
forward,  running  a  critical  eye  over  a  flock 
of  older  chickens  now  in  the  ugliness  and 
imbecility  of  half  growth,  and  uttering  yelps 
of  perpetual  discontent  when  they  were  not 
making  awkward  sallies  in  pursuit  of  a 
moth  or  a  grasshopper.  "They  hain't  no 
forreder  'n  aourn,  nor  no  more  on  'em,"  she 
remarked  as  she  reached  the  door,  and, 
furling  her  umbrella,  she  bent  forward  to 
look  and  listen  before  she  entered. 

There  was  a  sound  of  water  briskly 
splashed  and  a  squeaky  breaking  of  leaf 
stalks,  of  quick  footsteps  moving  intermit 
tently  to  and  fro,  mingled  with  a  cautious 
clatter  of  the  stove  and  the  contented  bub 
bling  of  a  boiling  pot  that  exhaled  a  savory 
odor  of  cooking  pork,  which  the  visitor 
sniffed  with  satisfaction  when  she  saw  that 
Euby  Hill  was  washing  beet  greens  at  the 
sink.  She  mentally  formulated  the  bill  of 
fare  and  a  declaration  of  intention  :  — 

"  B'iled  pork  an'  beet  greens  !  I  'm  goin' 
tu  stay  tu  dinner,  if  it  is  hayin'."  Then 
she  wheezily  announced  herself. 

"  Mornin',   Marier !      Wai,   here  I    be, 


190  A  DANVIS   PIONEER 

what  the'  is  left  on  me,  arter  br'ilin'  in  the 
sun,  tu  say  nothin'  o'  raslin'  \vi'  was's.  My, 
if  't  ain't  hot !  "  Gran'ther  Hill's  great 
splint-bottomed  chair  received  her  unaccus 
tomed  weight  with  a  protesting  creak  as 
Maria  turned  from  the  stove  to  her  guest, 
her  face  changing  from  the  frown  of  heat- 
battling  to  an  expression  of  surprise,  while 
Ruby  cast  a  frightened  glance,  a  nod,  and 
a  murmured  salutation  over  her  shoulder. 

"  Why,  for  all  this  woiT  !  "  said  Maria. 
"  That  's  right,  set  ri'  daown  and  rest  ye. 
Le'  me  take  your  bunnit.  Pretty  well,  be 
ye,  an'  all  of  'em  at  hum  ?  " 

"  No,  you  need  n't  take  my  bunnit.  I  '11 
jest  hang  it  on  the  cheer,"  said  Mrs.  Pu- 
rington  with  the  air  of  a  martyr,  as  she  fum 
bled  at  her  bonnet-strings.  "  I  don't  s'pose 
I  c'n  stop  long  erless  it  seems  ne'ssary  ;  but 
it  did  seem 's  if  I  inns'  come,  if 't  wa'n't 
only  tu  call.  Be  you  feelin'  putty  scrump 
tious,  Ruby  ?  I  should  n't  s'pose  you  would, 
a-growin'  so.  It  hain't  healthy  tu  grow  so 
fast.  I  should  think  you  'd  let  aout  the 
tuck  in  her  dress,  Marier.  My  sakes,  if 
there  hain't  a  beet  half  's  big  as  a  hen's  aig ! 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    191 

An'  we  hain't  lied  us  a  mess  yit.  No,  sir, 
not  a  green,  sence  caowslops  an'  dand'lierns 
went  by.  I  s'pect  aour  beets  hain't  ben 
wed  as  they  'd  ortu  ben.  He  hain't  no 
hand  for  a  garding,  like  your  father  Hill. 
Ho,  hum,  sussy  day !  But  I  s'pose  he  's 
goddone  wi'  all  that.  You  won't  hev  no 
sech  beets  next  year.  Haow  does  he  'pear 
tu  be  ? "  sinking  her  voice  to  a  gasping 
whisper.  "  I  come  up  a  puppus  tu  enquire. 
We  heard  yist'day  'at  he  was  terrible  mis'- 
able." 

"Why,  no,"  Maria  answered  in  a  low 
ered  voice,  seating  herself  in  front  of  her 
visitor  and  adjusting  the  tall  comb  in  her 
back  hair,  "  he  don't  seem  tu  be  bad  off. 
He  hed  a  kinder  poor  turn  day  'fore  yist' 
day,  an'  he  's  ben  keepin'  consid'able  quiet 
sence.  He 's  ben  sleepin'  'most  all  the 
mornin'.  Bub  's  in  there  a-keepin'  the  flies 
off  of  him." 

Mrs.  Purington  shook  her  head  solemnly, 
and  slowly  lifted  herself  by  the  arms  of  the 
chair.  Then,  with  a  cautionary  hand  raised 
to  enjoin  silence,  she  waddled  carefully 
across  to  the  bedroom  door  and  peered  in 


192  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

long  and  anxiously.  Then  she  disappeared 
within,  to  come  forth  presently  in  haste, 
with  an  awe-stricken  countenance,  and  in  a 
voice  befitting  it  she  said,  "  Marier  Hill, 
he 's  a  dyin'  man  !  He  lays  there  julluk  a 
lawg,  an'  he 's  slipped  daown  in  the  bed  ; 
an'  I  took  a  holt  o'  one  o'  his  feet,  an'  it 's 
jest  as  cold  as  a  stun,  an'  bloated  up  jest  as 
hard  as  a  stick  o'  wood.  I  tell  ye  he  hain't 
long  for  this  world !  You  jest  come  an' 
look  at  him  !  " 

Maria  followed  her  in  a  tremor  of  alarm, 
and  poor  Ruby,  sick  with  horror  of  the  mys 
terious  presence  which  seemed  about  to 
confront  her,  hovered  close  in  the  rear, 
afraid  to  follow  and  afraid  to  be  left  alone. 

"  You  c'n  see  for  yourself,"  Mrs.  Puring- 
ton  whispered,  with  constrained  calmness. 
"  You  see  that  'ere  fly  a-walkin'  on  his  nose, 
an'  him  never  a-winkin'.  You  see  haow  his 
fingers  keeps  a-workin',  an'  he 's  all  slid 
daown  in  the  bed,  an'  his  feet  as  col'  as 
chunks  o'  ice.  I  tell  ye  he 's  struck  wi' 
death,  an'  you  hedn't  ortu  lose  a  minute 
a-callin'  in  Joseph  an'  'mongst  'em,  if  they 
're  tu  see  him  a  livin'  man.  It 's  arteplack ; 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    193 

jest  what  I  told  Joseph  'ould  take  his  father, 
as  I  come  along." 

The  grim  face  of  the  veteran  was  un- 
wontedly  serene  as  he  lay  breathing  heavily 
in  the  deep  sleep  of  age,  and  now  a  smile 
flickered  across  it  like  a  glint  of  sunlight 
on  the  wintry  ruggedness  of  a  mountain,  as 
if  he  had  pleasant  dreams  or  happy  visions. 
His  favorite  grandson  and  namesake  sat  be 
side  him  idly  brushing  the  flies  away  with 
a  feathery  asparagus  stalk,  tired  of  his  in 
active  duty,  and  wishing  his  grandfather 
would  awake  and  tell  a  story.  But  now  he 
turned  a  wondering,  scared  face  toward  the 
visitor  ;  then,  as  he  comprehended  the  awful 
import  of  her  words,  he  dropped  the  brush 
across  the  bed,  and,  lightly  touching  the 
nearest  brown  and  withered  old  hand  with 
his  browner,  grimy  young  fingers,  he  buried 
his  face  in  the  patchwork  quilt,  repeating 
silently  again  and  again  a  fervent,  untaught 
prayer,  amid  smothered,  choking  sobs  :  "  O 
God,  don't  let  gran'ther  die  !  Don't  ye  ! 
Don't  ye  !  " 

He  did  not  hear  Mrs.  Purington's  whis 
pered  errand :  "  Josier,  your  father  tol'  me 


194  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

tu  tell  you  tu  come  ri'  daown  int'  the  med- 
der,  an'  go  tu  shakin'  aout  the  swaths,  but 
I  hain't  the  heart  tu."  He  heard  his  mo 
ther's  rapidly  retreating  footsteps  click  on 
the  doorstone,  and  then  the  untimely  blast  of 
the  dinner-horn  smote  his  ear  like  a  funeral 
knell. 

Gran'ther  Hill  half  opened  his  eyes  in  an 
unseeing  stare,  then  closed  them  and  lapsed 
again  into  quiet  sleep. 

"  He  don't  take  no  noticte  o'  nothin'," 
Mrs.  Purington  sighed. 

Before  long  Josiah  heard  the  guarded 
clump  of  his  father's  and  Pelatiah's  boots 
upon  the  kitchen  floor ;  then,  by  the  re 
strained,  labored  breathing  and  whispered 
inquiries  and  responses,  he  knew  that  they 
were  crowded  into  the  little  bedroom  whose 
narrow  confines  Mrs.  Purington's  portly 
presence  had  seemed  to  fill  already  to  their 
utmost  capacity. 

It  was  not  apparent  to  Joseph  that  any 
great  change  had  occurred  in  his  father's 
condition,  but  Mrs.  Purington  having  be 
come  an  authority  on  mortuary  affairs 
through  frequent  attendance  at  deathbeds 


APPARITION  OF  GR ANTHER  HILL    195 

and  funerals,  he  had  no  idea  of  questioning 
her  opinions. 

"  It  seems  's  'ough  I  'd  got  tu  speak  tu 
him,"  he  whispered,  his  face  working  with 
painfully  restrained  emotion. 

"  The'  hain't  no  use  o'  disturbin'  his  last 
moments,"  Mrs.  Purington  whispered  au 
thoritatively;  and  Joseph  tried  to  appease 
his  filial  yearning  by  a  clumsy,  mannish 
adjustment  of  the  quilt,  which  was  viewed 
with  severe  toleration  by  Mrs.  Purington. 
Pelatiah  heaved  a  few  sympathetic  sighs, 
and  retired  to  the  kitchen,  emphasizing  each 
careful  footfall  by  a  downward  sway  of  head 
and  body,  till  he  reached  a  chair,  and  care 
fully  lowered  himself  into  it.  After  a  vain 
attempt  to  engage  his  mind  in  the  study  of 
the  almanac  which  hung  by  the  clock,  he 
tried  the  better  plan  of  doing  something 
helpful,  and  made  separate,  supposedly 
noiseless  journeys  to  the  well  and  cistern  to 
replenish  the  water-pails,  although  he  had 
found  neither  empty.  With  the  same  pur 
pose,  Ruby  strove  to  employ  herself,  won 
dering  if  it  would  be  decorous  to  begin 
setting  the  table,  and  wishing  she  might  be 


196  A  DANV1S  PIONEER 

sent  to  summon  the  younger  children  home 
from  school,  to  help  her  bear  the  misery  of 
this  awful  waiting,  until  both  were  called 
into  the  bedroom  by  an  imperative  gesture 
of  Mrs.  Purington. 

There  was  crowded  standing-room  for  the 
solemn  company  between  the  bedstead,  the 
oilcloth-covered  light-stand,  and  the  cherry- 
wood  chest  of  drawers,  whereon  lay  the  worn 
and  ancient  family  Bible,  open  at  one  of 
the  stormiest  chapters  of  the  Old  Testa 
ment.  It  might  have  seemed  to  some  that 
a  recently  developed  turn  for  Biblical  re 
search  was  one  of  the  most  alarming  symp 
toms  of  Gran'ther  Hill's  illness.  In  an 
unstable  position  on  the  edge  of  the  chest 
there  was  an  unfinished  axe-helve  awaiting 
the  last  touches  of  the  veteran's  hands. 
Last  night's  candle  stood  on  the  stand,  the 
extinguisher  half  revealing  a  portentous 
winding-sheet  which  had  formed  during  the 
last  burning  ;  and  even  while  Mrs.  Puring 
ton  silently  called  attention  to  this  ominous 
sign  still  another  was  given.  A  phcebe- 
bird  hovered  a  moment  at  the  open  window, 
then  flew  in  and  caught  a  fly  in  an  airy 


APPARITION  OF  GRANTHER  HILL    197 

loop  of  flight  that  ended  in  a  misjudged 
dash  against  the  raised  sash.  In  attempt 
ing  to  wallow  her  way  around  from  the  foot 
of  the  bed  to  expel  the  fluttering  intruder, 
Mrs.  Purino'ton  struck  an  end  of  the  axe- 

O 

helve,  and  it  fell  to  the  floor  with  a  sharp, 
resonant  clatter  that  aroused  the  old  man. 

With  wide-opened  eyes  he  cast  a  glance 
of  stern  inquiry  around  upon  the  sad-faced 
group.  "  What  in  time  be  ye  all  a-gawpin' 
at  ?  "  he  sternly  demanded  in  a  strong  voice. 
"  Be  ye  all  dumb,  or  why  don't  ye  answer  ?  " 

Mrs.  Purington  ventured  to  take  upon 
herself  the  office  of  spokeswoman,  and  said 
with  awful  solemnity,  "  Capting  Hill,  we 
thought  you  was  a-dyin',  an'  I  hed  Marier 
call  the  men  folks." 

"  Ye  did,  hey  ?  An'  what  if  I  was  ? 
Did  n't  you  s'pose  I  c'ld  'tend  tu  it? 
Called  in  the  men  folks  from  hayin'  ?  If 
I'd  ha'  got  kiUed  tu  Hubbar't'n  or  Ben- 
nin't'n,  du  you  s'pose  they  'd  ha'  quit  fightin' 
an'  stood  'raound  tu  gawp  at  me  a-dyin'  ? 
An'  't  would  ha'  ben  a  'tarnal  sight  more 
consequence  then  'an  't  is  naow." 

"Your  feet  was  jes'   as  cold  as  stuns," 


198  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

Mrs.  Purington  added,  as  she  ran  a  groping 
hand  beneath  the  bedclothes,  "an'  so  they 
be  naow." 

"  You  hain't  got  a  holt  o'  no  foot,"  Gran'- 
ther  Hill  chuckled  hoarsely.  "  It 's  a  free- 
stun  Marier  put  in  tu  warm  'em  las'  night." 
And  drawing  up  his  knee,  he  gave  a  vigor 
ous  kick  that  tumbled  the  stone  out  with  a 
dull  thud  upon  Mrs.  Purington's  fat  foot, 
and  drew  from  her  an  agonized  shriek. 
"  I  'm  glad  on  't,  I  swear  I  be,  ye  ol'  carri'n 
crow!"  the  old  man  roared  in  savage  re 
joicing.  "  Clear  aouten  here,  the  hull  b'ilin' 
on  ye !  No,  you  don't  wanter  go,"  he  added 
in  a  softer  tone  to  Josiah,  who  was  crying 
now  for  joy  at  the  sudden  and  promising 
change  in  his  grandfather's  symptoms. 

"  It 's  awful,  dretful !  A  man  at  your 
time  o'  life,  wi'  one  foot  in  the  grave ! " 
Mrs  Purington  whimpered,  as  she  limped 
out  of  the  bedroom  in  the  rear  of  the  de 
parting  company. 

"  I  hain't  a  man  o'  my  time  to'  life,  an'  I 
hain't  nary  foot  in  nothin',"  he  growled  after 
her,  and,  suiting  action  to  his  last  words,  he 
sat  upright,  and  threw  his  sturdy  old  legs 
out  of  bed. 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    199 

"  Gi'  me  my  breeches,  bub.  Why,  the 
'tarnal  fools  scairt  ye,  did  n't  they  ?  "  He 
put  an  unwontedly  gentle  hand  on  the 
tousled,  sun-faded  tow  head.  "  There,  don't 
ye  cry,  sonny.  They  won't  git  no  fun'al 
aouten  yer  ol'  gran'ther  till  he  's  larnt  ye  tu 
shoot  an'  tu  ketch  a  traout,  an'  hev  lots  o' 
fun  wi*  ye." 

Through  tears  and  smiles,  as  in  a  shower 
and  sunshine,  the  boy  had  a  bright  vision  of 
his  reenthroned  idol. 

"  I  ruther  guess  me  an'  Pelatiah  hed  bet 
ter  hev  us  a  cold  bite,"  Joseph  said  in  a 
subdued  voice,  as  he  took  a  longing  sniff  of 
the  fragrance  of  the  boiling  greens.  "  We 
can't  sca'cely  'ford  tu  wait  for  dinner,  an' 
it  won'  ezackly  pay  tu  come  up  a  puppus 
for  't  quite  so  soon,  it  don't  seem's  'ough. 
An'  we  '11  take  suthin'  'long  for  Antwine. 
The  pork  an'  greens  '11  be  fust  chop  for  sup 
per." 

"  Men  folks  hed  ortu  hev  a  su'stantial 
warm  dinner,  an'  so  hed  anybody  'at 's  ben 
ex'cisin'  a-walkin',  "  said  the  visitor. 

But  the  two  men  began  eating  their  lunch 
standing  at  the  pantry  shelf,  where  it  was 


200  A   DANVIS   PIONEER 

set  by  Maria,  and,  quickly  finishing  it,  went 
afield.  No  move  was  made  toward  getting 
dinner,  and  an  angry  growl  was  heard  issu 
ing  from  the  bedroom.  Casting  a  regretful 
look  upon  the  boiling  pots,  Mrs.  Purington 
hastily  departed,  with  the  umbrella  under 
her  arm,  tying  her  sunbonnet  as  she  walked 
down  the  path. 

With  but  little  help  from  his  grandson, 
Gran'ther  Hill  donned  his  suit  of  homespun, 
and,  with  convincing  thumps  of  his  staff, 
stamped  forth  into  the  kitchen.  His  face 
wore  a  genial  expression,  nevertheless  tri 
umphant  and  defiant ;  and  Josiah,  following 
close  at  his  heels,  was  radiant  with  joy,  in 
spite  of  the  fear  that  he  might  now  be  sent 
to  the  hayfield. 

Maria  and  her  daughter  had  set  the  un- 
tasted  dishes  of  pork,  greens,  and  potatoes 
to  cool  on  the  draughtiest  shelf  of  the  pan 
try,  and  were  sitting  in  a  bewilderment  of 
unexpected  rest  when  the  old  man  entered. 

"  Wai,  naow,  you  hain't  never  ben  tu  din 
ner,  Marier  ?  "  he  demanded,  looking  sharply 
at  the  clock,  the  cleared  stove,  and  empty 
table.  "So  I  skeered  them  back  hit'  the 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    201 

lot,  did  I  ?  "  he  chuckled,  when  his  daugh 
ter-in-law  had  explained  the  situation.  "  An' 
that  'ere  Pur'n't'n  womern,  hes  she  cleared 
aout  tew  ?  Wai,  I  done  almighty  well.  By 
the  Lord  Harry,  I  won't  furnish  no  fun'als 
for  that  ol'  carri'n  crow  's  long 's  I  c'n  help 
it !  An'  mind  ye,  Marier,  if  ever  I  du  die, 
don't  ye  let  her  know  it  for  a  week.  I  want 
tu  cheat  her  aouten  that  fun.  Lord,  it 
always  makes  me  swearin'  mad  tu  see  her 
a-lookin'  at  corpses  as  if  she  owned  'em! 
4  Viewin'  the  re-mains,'  she  calls  it.  Hunh ! 
Or'n'ry,  e very-day  dead  folks  hain't  remains. 
All  'at  ever  you  could  see  is  there  just 's  it 
allers  was.  If  she  'd  ha'  ben  tu  Hubbar't'n 
er  Bennin't'n  er  where  Injins  hed  ben  hellin' 
raound,  she  'd  ha'  seen  remains.  Folks 
blowed  all  tu  flinders,  an'  women  wi'  the' 
skelps  tore  off.  Them 's  remains.  Remains ! 
The  cussed  ol'  fat  fool !  "  He  shook  out 
the  words  in  a  bass  tremolo  of  anger,  and 
then  in  a  milder  voice  declared,  "  I  smelt 
greens  a-b'ilin',  an'  I  want  some  on  'em.  In 
the  butt'ry,  be  they  ?  No,  you  jes'  keep 
yer  settin',  Marier,  an'  me  an'  bub  '11  help 
aourselves.  Come  on,  bub." 


202  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

"  Seems 's  'ough  it 's  most  tew  hearty 
victuals  for  anybody  'at's  feeble,"  Maria 
suggested  timidly. 

"  Sho,  Marier !  Gardin  sass  's  the  health 
iest  victuals  the'  is.  Don't  woo'chucks  eat 
it  ?  An'  did  you  ever  hear  tell  o'  a  woo'- 
chuck's  dyin'  erless  he  was  killed  ?  Who  's 
feeble?  If  bub  is,  he  needn't  eat  none 
'thout  he  's  a  min'  ter." 

The  pantry  door  closed  behind  the  grand- 
sire  and  grandson,  who  at  once  gave  them 
selves  up  so  entirely  to  the  business  in  hand 
that  no  sound  was  heard  from  that  quarter 
but  the  clatter  of  knives  and  forks,  the  clink 
of  the  vinegar  cruet,  and  an  occasional  clear 
ing  of  Gran'ther  Hill's  throat  when  it  was 
too  liberally  irrigated  with  an  overdose  of 
vinegar.  When  at  last  they  came  forth, 
with  satisfied  faces  and  wiping  their  mouths 
with  the  backs  of  their  hands,  Josiah  the 
younger  at  once  went* to  roost  on  the  edge 
of  a  chair,  with  his  feet  on  the  top  round, 
and  began  to  settle  into  torpid  contentment. 
He  was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  it,  for 
his  grandfather,  after  taking  his  own  hat 
from  its  peg  and  putting  it  on,  drew  the 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    203 

boy's  tattered  straw  hat  toward  him  from  its 
latest  place  of  deposit,  with  the  point  of  his 
staff,  and  thrust  it  upon  the  owner's  head 
with  such  force  that  the  surprised  youngster 
barely  saved  himself  from  pitching  headlong 
upon  the  floor.  When  halfway  across  the 
room  he  halted  a  stumbling  run,  and  turned 
to  stare  with  dazed  eyes  between  parted 
crown  and  brim  on  the  grimly  amused  face 
of  his  grandfather. 

"  I  'spect  your  father  wants  ye  daown  'n 
the  medder,"  his  mother  suggested. 

"  He  hain't  a-goin'  daown  intu  no  medder 
erless  I  tell  him  tu.  He  's  a-goin'  along  wi' 
me,"  the  aged  autocrat  announced,  as  he 
stamped  and  thumped  his  way  to  the  door  ; 
and  Josiah  hoped  that  they  might  be  going 
fishing,  though  the  blazing  heat  promised  no 
success. 

"  Why,  father,  you  hain't  never  goin' 
aout  in  the  heat  o'  the  day,  be  ye  ?  Where 
be  you  goin'?  You  hed  n't  ortu,  old  as  you 
be  an'  sick  as  you  've  ben." 

"  Old  as  I  be  ?  "  he  growled  scornfully. 
"  I  'm  younger  'n  any  on  ye.  Sick  ?  I 
hain't  ben  sick.  Hot  ?  Don't  ye  s'pose  a 


204  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

man  'at  's  lived  in  V'mont  ever  sence  white 
folks  come  tu  stay  knows  a  lee  tie  suthin' 
'baout  what  sort  o'  weather  he  c'n  g\vaout 
in  ?  'T  ain't  hot.  It 's  jest  comft'ble,  an' 
I  hain't  grease  ner  pitch.  I  guess  I  sha'n't 
melt.  Where  be  I  a-goin'  ?  Mebby  I  'm 
a-goin'  tu  bary  myself,  an'  mebby  I  'm 
a-goin'  tu  look  up  a  good  place  tu.  Come 
on,  bub." 

With  his  grandson  at  his  heels,  he 
marched  down  the  dooryard  path,  supremely 
indifferent  to  the  attack  of  the  Dominique 
Amazon  that  charged  at  his  lean  shanks 
only  to  be  poked  contemptuously  aside  by 
a  two-handed  thrust  of  his  staff;  and  his 
daughter-in-law,  ready  to  cry  with  worry, 
watched  him  to  the  corner  from  which  the 
road  ran  past  the  hayfield,  where  he  was 
hidden  by  a  group  of  cherry-trees,  in  which 
a  throng  of  jealous  robins  and  a  pair  of  red 
headed  woodpeckers  were  bickering  for  the 
first  reddening  fruit. 

"  He  '11  git  het  or  sunstruck,  an'  every 
body  '11  blame  it  ontu  me,"  she  sighed, 
turning  wearily  away,  and  taking  her  apron 
from  a  chair-back  with  one  hand,  while  with 


APPARITION  OF  GRANTHER  HILL    205 

the  other  she  groped  for  a  pin  on  the  bosom 
of  her  gown. 

"  I  teU  ye,  bub,"  Gran'ther  Hill  confided 
to  his  grandson,  as  he  slackened  his  pace  for 
his  escort  to  come  beside  him,  "  I  'm  a-goin' 
daown  int'  the  medder  tu  show  'em  haow  tu 
hay  it.  Folks  naowerdays  do'  know  haow, 
eiiess  they  won't,  but  I  '11  show  'em,  or  I  '11 
make  'em,  bub."  He  stopped,  and  bent  an 
impressive  glance  upon  the  boy's  upturned 
face.  "  It  '11  be  suthin'  for  ye  tu  tell  on, 
when  ye  git  growed  up,  haow  't  your  gran'- 
ther  was  a-dyin'  in  the  fo'noon,  an'  went  an' 
pitched  hay  in  the  art'noon."  He  chuckled 
hoarsely,  and,  after  giving  the  idea  time  for 
digestion,  continued,  as  he  began  an  ab 
stracted  search  in  his  pockets,  "  They  hain't 
no  kind  of  a  team,  your  father  an'  that  'ere 
Gove  boy  an'  that  'ere  Frenchman.  I  don't 
see  what  Jozeff  was  a-thinkin'  on  tu  hire 
him.  They  hain't  goo'  for  nothin'.  I  know 
'em.  Blast  'em  !  When  we  went  tu  Can- 
erdy  an'  fit  for  'em,  they  jest  humped  up  tu 
hum,  ov'  their  pea  soup  an'  inions,  an'  let 
us  freeze  an'  starve  an'  du  the  fightin'.  Ye 
could  n't  stir  'em  up  tu  no  patri'tism  no 


20C  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

more  'n  ye  could  stir  up  a  chunk  o'  ice  wi' 
a  puddin'-stick,  blast  'em  !  Oh,  if  a  man 
won't  fight  for  his  natyve  land  for  the  love 
on  't,  he  won't  du  much  a-hayin'  for  wages, 
you  may  depend  on  't !  Say,  bub,  I  come 
off  an'  lef  my  pipe  on  the  manteltree  shelf, 
an'  I  'd  ortu  smuk.  You  clipper  back  an' 
git  it,  an'  fill  it  wi'  terbacker  ;  an'  ye  can't 
light  it,  —  it  'ould  make  ye  sick  ;  so  you 
fetch  me  three  four  o'  them  hell-fire  matches. 
The'  hain't  half  so  good  as  flint  an'  steel, 
but  the'  hain't  no  punk  in  the  hull  dumb, 
shif  'less  haouse.  Naow  clipper  like  a  white- 
head,  an'  I  '11  just  wait.  An'  don't  ye  let 
your  ma'am  know  where  we  're  a-goin' ; 
she  '11  jes'  tew,"  he  called  after  Josiah, 
while  he  watched  his  agile  steps  with  criti 
cal  admiration,  and  commented  to  himself, 
"  He  's  a  chip  o'  the  ol'  block  !  Jozeff  took 
arter  his  mother  in  bein'  slow  an'  easy. 
But  she  lied  judgment,  and  Jozeff —  wal  - 
She  hed  'straor'nary  judgment  when  she 
was  a  gal.  Why,  she  wa'n't  on'y  eighteen 
when  she  took  me.  Twenty  year  she  's  ben 
gone  !  Twenty  year,  an'  me  a-hengin'  on 
yit,  julluk  an'  oak  leaf  in  winter,  o'  no  use 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    207 

for  notliiiiV  His  slow  thoughts  followed 
his  slow,  half-wistful  gaze  to  the  sumac- 
tented  burying-ground,  and  far  beyond  to 
the  pale,  sunlit  sky  above  the  mountain 
tops,  and  then  wandered  wearily  back. 
"  But  I  'm  wuth  a  dozen  naowerdays  young 
folks  yit,"  he  declared,  straightening  him 
self  energetically,  and  walking  toward  the 
corner  of  the  road.  Turning  it,  he  came 
suddenly  in  view  of  Antoine,  who  was  coming 
up  the  road,  a  few  rods  away. 

It  was  not  yet  noon  when  Joseph  and 
Pelatiah  reached  the  hayfield,  where  An 
toine  had  exchanged  a  scythe  for  a  fork, 
and  was  tossing  the  swaths  as  if  they  were 
caught  in  the  eddies  of  a  sweetly  odorous 
whirlwind.  He  took  his  luncheon  in  si 
lence,  with  his  employer's  laconic  remark 
that  "  the  women  folks  wa'n't  a-goin'  tu  git 
no  reg'lar  dinner  tu-day,"  imagining  in 
Joseph's  sober  face  he  read  an  answer  to 
the  question  he  would  ask.  If  he  wondered 
that  the  bereaved  son  should  return  to  labor 
when  he  had  so  good  an  excuse  for  a 
respite  from  it,  he  accounted  for  this  by  the 
fact  that  toil  blunts  the  edge  of  grief.  The 


208  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

far-resounding  dinner-calls  of  conclis  and 
horns  at  distant  farmsteads  faded  out  in  the 
hot  air  to  the  silence  which  had  held  lan 
guorous  sway  since  the  bobolinks'  riot  of 
melody  had  ceased.  The  song  of  the  ori 
ole  was  hushed,  with  the  monotonous  plaint 
of  his  offspring ;  the  sharp  brief  note  of  the 
meadow  lark,  like  an  arrow  of  sound,  was 
no  longer  shot  athwart  the  noontide  heat, 
and  there  was  no  noisier  stir  of  life  than 
the  drowsy  boom  of  the  bumblebee  swelling 
above,  and  lapsing  again  to  the  voiceless 
level  as  the  liveried  gold-and-black  forager 
blundered  homeward  or  afield. 

Antoine  retired  to  the  shade  to  rest  and 
refresh  himself.  While  he  munched  the 
generous  but  dry  ration  of  bread  and  cold 
meat,  he  also  slowly  chewed  the  cud  of  med 
itation  concerning  the  long  life  which  he 
supposed  had  just  come  to  a  close,  and  his 
thoughts,  addressed  to  himself,  shaped  them 
selves  in  his  accustomed  French  -  English 
speech :  — 

"  De  gran'pere  was  gat  great  many  hoi'. 
More  as  mos'  hond'ed  prob'ly,  Ah  guess. 
Wen  Ah  '11  gat  so  much  hoi',  prob'ly  Ah  '11 


APPARITION  OF  GRANTHER  HILL    209 

been  dead  great  many  year.  Ah  '11  hope  so 
if  Ah  '11  goin'  be  so  hugly  like  he  was  !  He 
so  hugly  Ah  '11  was  'fraid  of  it,  me !  An' 
Ah  '11  guess,  seh,  dis  woiT  was  be  more 
peaceably,  for  gat  de  hoi'  man  aout  of  it ! 
What  dey  goin'  do  where  he  gone  prob'ly, 
hein  ?  Wai,  Ah  '11  be  glad  dey  gat  it,  an' 
Ah  '11  hope  dey  an't  send  it  back." 

An  overlarge  mouthful  of  bread  stuck  in 
his  throat,  and  he  was  seized  with  a  sudden 
fear  that  a  judgment  had  overtaken  him. 
He  struggled  against  it  manfully,  and,  after 
several  gasping  elongations  of  his  neck,  got 
the  better  of  the  choking  morsel,  and  cried 
out  in  bravado,  "  Yas,  sah,  Ah  '11  glad  dat 
hoi'  hugly  was  go,  me,  an'  Ah  '11  hope  dey 
an't  let  it  come  back !  "  He  could  not  help 
casting  a  scared  glance  behind  him,  but  he 
saw  only  the  serene  landscape :  the  shorn 
meadow  dotted  with  cocks  and  rumpled  with 
spread  hay;  the  standing  grass  waving  in 
the  fitful  gusts  of  the  wind,  and  tossing  the 
dandelion  heads  like  foam  bells  on  the  wa 
terless  gray-green  billows ;  the  open-doored, 
gray  barn  with  a  row  of  silent  swallows 
bickering  on  the  ridge ;  the  tasseled  corn- 


210  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

field ;  the  rough  pasture,  and  its  idle  groups 
of  sheep  and  kine  nooning  in  the  shade  of 
scattered  trees ;  and  beyond  all,  the  green 
boundary  of  the  mountain  wall  shimmering 
in  the  glare  of  sunlight.  If  the  scene  re 
vealed  naught  to  him  of  its  serene  beauty 
but  the  excellence  of  an  ideal  hay-day,  there 
was  nothing  in  it  to  alarm  him,  and,  after 
a  tepid  draught  of  switchel,  he  gave  himself 
the  crowning  consolation  of  a  pipe.  The 
last  spark  was  quenching  itself  in  the  moist 
dregs  when  he  was  aroused  by  Joseph's  mod 
erate  call. 

"Wai,  Antwine,  I  guess  like  'nough,  if 
you  're  a-min'  ter,  you  may  gwup  an'  git  the 
hosses  an'  the  hay-riggin',  an'  ye  can  hitch 
the  ol'  mare  on  behind  an'  tow  her  'long 
daown  for  tu  hitch  on  the  rake,  if  you  're  a 
min'  ter;  guess  the  cidt  '11  foller  all  right !  " 
The  call  came  to  him  in  a  deliberate,  mono 
tonous  tone  whose  high  pitch  was  maintained 
with  effort. 

Antoine  knocked  the  ashes  out  from  his 
pipe  on  the  toe  of  his  moccasin,  and,  arising, 
set  forth  toward  the  house,  not  without  some 
unwillingness  to  go  alone  into  the  dread  pre- 


APPARITION  OF  GRAN'THER  HILL    211 

cincts  which,  as  he  approached,  seemed  the 
more  pervaded  by  an  awed  silence.  As  he 
turned  the  corner,  he  saw  the  subject  of  his 
thoughts  materialize  before  him,  and  doubted 
not  for  an  instant  that  the  gaunt,  tall  figure 
and  stern,  pallid  face  were  those  of  a  being 
now  belonging  to  another  world.  The  re 
collection  of  his  recent  defiance  of  such  a 
visitation  surged  back  upon  him  in  an  over 
whelming  wave  that  seemed  to  drown  his 
heart's  life  out  of  him.  For  an  instant  he 
felt  his  legs  weakening  and  bending  beneath 
him  like  thawing  props  of  ice.  He  thought 
himself  dying  without  time  for  prayer,  and 
powerless  to  make  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

Then,  with  a  sudden  accession  of  strength, 
without  force  of  will,  but  by  mere  instinct, 
he  turned  and  ran  as  he  never  ran  before. 
He  marveled  how  and  why  he  could  go  so 
swiftly  with  such  terror  withering  him,  even 
wondered  if  he  were  not  standing  still,  while 
trees,  fences,  and  breeze  were  streaming 
past  him,  with  the  dread  form  motionless 
behind  him,  or  drawing  nearer,  nearer,  with 
noiseless  steps,  and  already  reaching  out  to 
clutch  him  with  cold  fingers.  But  he  was 


212  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

assured  by  the  dull  pain  that  the  pebbles 
inflicted  on  his  moccasined  feet,  and  he 
thanked  the  Virgin  and  every  saint  he  could 
remember  for  the  unasked  aid  that  was 
invisibly  bearing  him  onward. 

The  meadow  fence  was  no  barrier  to  his 
flight ;  his  hand  touched  the  top  rail  and  his 
feet  flew  over  like  two  bounding  balls,  and 
on  he  went,  never  slacking  his  pace,  till  he 
came  to  where  Joseph  and  Pelatiah  stood 
agape  with  wonder  at  his  speed,  and  appre 
hensive  of  woefid  tidings.  Then  he  dropped 
upon  his  knees  and  began  a  prayer,  whose 
fervor  was  not  interrupted  by  the  indrawing 
and  outgoing  of  his  labored  breath,  and  he 
rapidly  made  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

"  Du  for  land  o'  massy's  sake,  Antwine, 
stop  your  dumb  foolin',  an'  tell  a  feller 
what 's  the  matter.  Can't  ye,  or  can't  ye  ?  " 
Joseph  demanded  in  a  flutter  of  anxiety. 
But  he  could  get  no  answer  till  he  shook 
Antoine  roughly  by  the  shoulder,  and  said 
sharply,  "  Come,  naow,  quit  your  prayin' 
long  'nough  tu  tell  what  ye  want,  so  't  some- 
b'dy  nuther  c'n  understand.  What  is  't? 
Is  father  wuss?" 


APPARITION  OF  GRANTHER  HILL    213 

"  Oh,  oui,  oui,  oui,  wus  as  loup  garou. 
Hees  glios'  come  at  me  on  de  road.  Oh,  he 
scare  me  dead.  Oh,  mon  Dieu  !  moii  Dieu  ! 
Oh,  what  for  you'  fader  an'  let  me  'lone  wen 
he'll  dead!  He  chase  me  on  de  road! 
Oh,  he  was  awf'ly  hugly  hoi'  ghos' !  " 

A  smile  of  enlightenment  dawned  upon 
Joseph's  bewildered  face  after  a  survey  of 
Antoine's  recent  course. 

"  Oh,  Sam  Hill,  Antwine !  "  his  words 
shaken  with  laughter.  "  Father  hain't  half 
so  dead  as  you  be  ;  don't  look 's  'ough  he 
was.  'T  ain't  no  aperregotion.  He  's  comin' 
daown  the  road  naow  along  wi'  bub,  smokin' 
his  pipe  as  carm  as  a  clock.  Come,  naow. 
This  grass  is  all  a-burnin'  up,"  and  he 
picked  up  a  rustling  wisp  of  hay,  twisting 
it  with  both  hands,  while  the  parched  clover 
leaves  drifted  out  of  it  in  a  shower  of  frag 
ments. 

Josiah  Hill,  the  Pioneer,  the  Ranger,  the 
Green  Mountain  Boy,  had  become  the  patri 
arch  of  a  populous  town  whereof  he  was 
once  almost  the  sole  human  inhabitant. 
The  contemporaries  of  his  early  manhood 


214  A  DANVIS  PIONEER 

were  all  gone,  and  to  him  alone  were  left 
memories  of  the  old  pioneer  days,  their 
hardships  and  the  unsung  deeds  of  humble 
heroes  and  heroines. 

Through  the  mists  of  years  the  events  of 
the  past  and  his  part  in  them  loomed  large 
to  his  vision,  and  lost  nothing  in  the  tell 
ing  when  there  was  no  one  left  to  dispute 
the  garrulous  tongue  of  old  age.  Yet  if  he 
was  given  to  boasting,  who  shall  say  that 
even  the  humblest  of  those  heroic  pioneers 
had  not  a  right  to  be  proud  that  he  was 
a  founder  of  the  Republic  of  the  Green 
Mountains  ? 


BLECTROTYPED  AND  PRINTED 
BY   H.   O.    HOUGHTON    AND   CO. 


_  -Che  nuirrsibc  press 

CAMBRIDGE,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


Robinson,  R 

E. 

dan 

A  Danvis 

doneer 

/ 

M105442 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


